Rainy Nights
by Vaneexoxsnape
Summary: War. War happened. Now what? The only choice Hermione Granger had was to move on. Live for the people that died; the old; the young. But not with Harry or Ron at her side. No, it would be with two shattered Slytherins who have crossed her path before. But the didn't mean that those that had lost would also do the same. (HG\DM\TN) 42k views! {Not Yet Edited }
1. Chapter 1

Everything belongs to the lovely J.K Rowling

 **Chapter 1**

 **(Nov. 2nd, 1998)**

"Thank you, Professor," I said as I accepted my diploma and parchment proving I had finished all the classes required. "It's Minerva to you, Hermione," Minerva said as she hugged me. "Let me know what you're going to do okay. Let Termaine know I will be seeing her soon." I nodded and hugged her back just as tightly as she was doing before replying,"I will, Minerva. Take care." Letting each other go for what felt like the last time but knowing it wasn't I waved once before putting away my stuff in the bag and grabbing a bit of Floo powder. "Granger Cottage."

I felt a weird sense of contentment that I had finished my schooling in just two months. Only because of the special classes that I had taken with all professor's and sitting in the library day and night to the point of getting constant nose bleeds. I had always known I would go back to school but I hadn't known that being there would never ever be the same for me. The moment I had stepped into the school back in September I had felt far older than the students who surrounded me, who were laughing like nothing had ever happened. Occasionally I would see a child here and there looking really sad but it wouldn't last long before I would see somebody come up to them and wiping that expression from their face.

Within a few days, I couldn't see past the images in my head. Instead of seeing the repairs done to Hogwarts I saw what had been the aftermath of the battle. Cobblestone on the floor that had been blasted. Blood splatter on the floor and walls. Instead of hearing the chatter of the students I would instead hear shouting and cries of pain.

Bodies lying too still to be believed alive. Some students who had not made it to safety limping and crying. Death Eaters, wolfs, giants, and everything evil just smashing into the castle and its inhabitants. As soon as this started getting worse to the point where I couldn't stand up straight and had to lean on the wall or table. I remember going straight to Minerva and asking her if there was a way for me to graduate early and if I could go home on the weekends. I still remember her face as I told her why I couldn't stay. I didn't cry. I didn't scream. I didn't get mad. Just wanted to get it done and over with. She had hugged me and told me to wait while she went to speak with Kingsley who was the step-in minister since the end of the war.

Stepping into the living room I saw my mother sitting by the window just gazing out into the rain. It was barely lunch time but it was pretty dark outside because of the heavy rain. "Mother, Minerva said she will be getting into contact with you soon," I said as I dropped my bag on the table and moved towards her. My mother, Termaine, turned around and gazed at me with a little-broken smile on her face. "I know she will. She wanted to take me to a tea shop, later on, today. But I don't this-" She stopped mid-sentence as her breathing hitched and broke. She gasped softly before releasing a small sob.

Immediately I grabbed her by the shoulders and hugged her tight. "It's okay mother. He wouldn't want you to stop living. You know this, mom." I said in a gentle but firm voice. I felt her nod against my shoulder before she pulled away and brushed stray tears away. "I know darling."

Grabbing her shoulders, which felt a bit too thin, I moved her towards the kitchen where I could smell food already made. Sitting her down I moved away so I could open the window and let the sound of rain in knowing it will make her feel better. Like mother like daughter. Looking over at the table I saw two plates already filled with pasta and cups filled with juice. I grabbed a couple of napkins before sitting down in my seat.

"So, you're done with schooling. What will you be doing? Will you go to some sort of college here or..." Mother asked as she filled her cup with more juice. I pulled my wand out and set it near me for easy access. Battle made you weary, even in your own home.

"I don't know honestly. I know I received all O's on my Newts. Plus Kingsley is sure to become minister permanently and he offered me several jobs. Not adding the other offers I had received in the past two months. I just need time away from everything. I have money saved up from both muggle and wizard world so it won't be a problem not having a job for a while," I thought about the money I had received from the Ministry. I wouldn't have to ever work again but I wasn't one to just sit around and let my education go to waste, " Everybody just expects many things from me but I know I can't ever work with a lot of people. It's not for me. I'm going to look into this one idea later on after my meeting with Harry and Ron." I said as I forked a bit of pasta into my mouth.

Mother just nodded and played with the pasta a bit. "I don't want to go back. I can't go back and just keep working when it will be a constant reminder of him. So I will think of something else to do." Nodding slowly at that reasoning I looked at her seriously before replying, "I understand mom, just don't let it stop you from living your life. Father...would not have wanted that. If my idea works then I think you could help as well." Looking curious she finally scooped up a bit of pasta and ate it before asking, "I'm sure whatever you decide on will be fine.

Once we were done eating I moved all the dishes into the sink and watch my mother head towards the stairs saying she was going to take a bath. I didn't want to leave her alone especially with some Death Eaters still on the loose but I needed to floo to Kingsley's office since I was meeting Harry and Ron to talk about said issue. Harry had decided to go into the Auror Department while Ron went into Wizengamot administer services.

I was mostly surprised that Ron decided to take that road. Kingsley assigned him a seat for the Weasley family since they were purebloods and they were considered heroes as well. I knew that Arthur hadn't wanted him to do it. Especially since he himself didn't want the seat. When I had asked him why would he do that considering that most families that had a seat would try to bad mouth him behind his back for being blood traitors? All he had said was, "I need to make my own road and not be the shadow to Harry for the rest of my life. Losing George and Fred as well as Percy just put a lot of things into perspective, Mione. I need to change stuff and the only way to do that would be like this."

Stepping into the office and seeing Ron and Harry talking quietly to the side. Kingsley must be elsewhere. "Hey, Mione." They both said as they moved to give me a hug each. Harry's lasting longer than Ron's. I moved over to the seats in front of the desk. Ron sat on my left while Harry just stood a little to the right of me. Harry laid his hands on my shoulders. "Congratulations on your early graduation." I touched one of his hands, feeling my heart give a painful jolt as he kept touching me. "Thank you, Harry." I felt a nudge to the side of me, turning to see Ron holding out a present.

I smiled ruefully as I accepted it. "It's a little something we put together and thought you would like it," Ron said quietly. I almost wanted to cry since I knew that before the war before anything bad had happened he wouldn't have thought of ever getting me something. He had gone withdrawn and quiet all the time and only spoke when he really needed to unless it was just us three. He would have to work on that since he was going to be speaking a lot with the new seat he had gotten. "Thank you, both."

I was about to open it when the door opened. All three of us turned in one go with our wands pointed at the figures standing at the soon as we saw who they were we looked away from them without apologizing. Ron and I had stood up so fast that we toppled the chairs over. With a flick of my wrist, I set them up right.

"It's just us," Kingsley said as he walked in with his hands out. Arthur, Remus, Bill and Dedalus Diggle were behind him. They all looked at us three with somewhat cautious faces. I tried to relax but it was hard to. I could see the boys struggling to do the same.

Remus had survived but it had taken him three months to recover from the spells that Antonin Dolohov had thrown at him. One which I had personally have felt and known that I had almost died from unlike him who had 3 of them to recover from. But his wife Nymphadora Tonks had died by her own aunt's hand. Bellatrix had killed her without hesitation and had then tried to kill her own sister Andromeda thought she didn't get a chance to battle her because Ginny and Luna had stepped in had tried to take her on. But Molly had killed Bellatrix in the end when she had threatened the girls. I had never seen Molly get so angry before but at that moment her anger had turned cold and deadly.

Teddy had lost his mother and now only had his grandma and father. And Harry as his godfather. Remus had asked me to be Teddy's godmother right after I had started school again and I had accepted but every time I saw the baby it hurt to know that Tonks would never be able to see him and hold him again.

They all stepped into the room and I resumed my seat with Ron on my left again. We all nodded at the men but stayed away from them. We still couldn't handle being touched by other people. Even close family unless it was children or one of us. The same reason Ginny and Harry struggled to be together. Ron and I just couldn't handle being together when we were so...

"I have the confirmation list of the escaped and dead Death Eaters. We think the escaped will act up once again soon." Kingsley said as he sat behind the desk. I looked down at the present the boys had given me without looking up. There wasn't a question whether they would do anything. We knew they would. It was just a matter of time before they decided to rise up again. Arthur moved near us and handed us an envelope each with the information. I opened it and pulled out the first one in the file. I felt Ron get up and move closer to look while Harry leaned down over my shoulder to look at it too.

Alecto Carrow

Amycus Carrow

Antonin Dolohov

Fenrir Greyback

Augustus Rookwood

Rodolphus Lestrange

Yaxley

Crabbe Sr.

Thorfinn Rowle

They were listed as missing or escaped. I gave the rest of the files to Harry so he could look more closely at it. Ron stood up and moved over to him to look the files too. I looked up as Kingsley started talking again. "We were able to narrow it down to them after rounding up everybody else. Some had gone far and wide to hide but we got most of them. Thought out of the list we think Alecto Carrow is dead but we can't be sure. The others remain unknown for now until we find them. Just keep your wards up and don't go out at night alone."

He pulled out a couple of papers, "I'll have all Auror's working day and night so that we can have this matter taken care of. Harry, I need you to lead the main group of Auror's while Ronald will try and get the pureblood families to give us any information on the whereabouts of this individuals. Hermione, I know you haven't decided on what career to choose but I would like for you to search for most of the properties that these Death Eaters own and send the information to Harry." I nodded slowly, knowing that I didn't really want anything to do with this but neither could I ignore it.

Not many people knew who my mother was but the Daily Prophet had given out the information that my mother was living with me but not who she was or where we lived. I got up and said goodbye but before I stepped into the floo I heard Remus call me. Turning around to see Remus behind me. He knew not to touch me and stayed a couple of feet away. "I was going to ask if Teddy could stay with you for a couple of days. I'm going to be a little busy with helping them and Andromeda will be helping over at St. Mungo's and helping the last of the patients." I was already nodding before he finished talking. "You know it won't be a problem. I love having him with me."

Just thinking of Teddy filled me with warmth. He was almost seven months old and yet he was so smart. "I'll drop him off after I'm done here." I nodded and left with a wave in his direction with they boy's present clutched in one hand. The last thing I saw before the green flames swallowed me was the boys staring at me with a hint of desperation in their eyes.

Being away from them for long periods of times was unbearable but being close hurt as well. They still needed me but sometimes it felt like I was the only thing holding them together. The weight of that knowledge weighed heavy on my heart.

Feedback is welcomed.

Update tomorrow

Vane


	2. Chapter 2

J.K Rowling owns this wonderful world in which I play in for a little while.

Chapter 2

(Nov.2,1998)

The cottage was shrouded in trees, the front having a small garden while the back of the house faced the river. It was almost too perfect. It was also near Godric's Hollow but with enough distance that the cottage was hard to find unless you knew where it cottage had four rooms aside from the living room, kitchen and laundry room. Only two rooms were in use but the third one had Teddy's baby things since he stayed over on the weekends when I used to come home on the weekends.

I changed into more comfortable clothes before getting out most of the things I needed for Teddy. Walking into the room and turning the light on and quickly moved the high chair out as well as the cradle which I set into my room. Not that Teddy ever used it. He didn't like sleeping

alone so most of the time he slept with me. Unless he fall asleep in my mother's arms.

Walking into the kitchen I sat the high chair up and was about to head upstairs when I heard the floo open. I pulled my wand out from my arm sheath but instantly put it away when I heard a coo from a baby. Teddy was home. I walked into the living room and saw Remus holding Teddy or at least trying to since Teddy kept trying to get out of his arms. The instant Teddy saw me he stretched his arms out to me. Smiling at his eagerness I held my arms out for him.

"How is my favorite little boy?" I asked him softly as he grabbed the front of my sweater with both fists and proceed to babble. Remus had avoided touching me while handing me Teddy and looked down at his son with a painfully tender look in his eyes. He always made the same face whenever he left his son. "I brought more pouches of milk for him. I just forgot to get more baby food for him. I left some money for you to buy him some." I shook my head at him when he mentioned the money. He had set down the little backpack down on the couch. "It's fine, Remus, I was already planning on going out to buy some stuff." He nodded and ruffled his son's hair, which had already turned into a much lighter brown than his fathers, and walked back to the floo.

I looked down at Teddy who was still pulling my sweater in his tiny fist and gave him a wet kiss on his forehead as he laughed. I leaned down to pick up the backpack and headed towards my room to get ready to leave. Already wearing a soft brown sweater and dark jeans with some boots I looked Teddy over and noticed his little blue footie. Laying him down on the bed I quickly put on the baby sling which I had laid out earlier and slid him into it. I grabbed my purse, which had the extension charm on it, and dropped his backpack into it. Pulling my cloak on, I carefully covered him with it too and buttoned it up the front so the he was covered fully. Teddy laughed as he looked up at me from my chest, the neckline was wide enough that he could peek up at me. "Yes, we are going out and maybe I'll buy you a new toy?" I asked him softly as I kissed his forehead. He shrieked with laughter and kicked his legs in my stomach.

Humming gently at him as he babbled on in his own little world. I headed towards the floo and grabbed a fistful of powder, "Diagon Alley."

As soon as I hit the busy streets of Diagon Alley I headed straight for the shopping district hoping people wouldn't notice me. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and several people tried coming up to me. I didn't know why I had hoped that nobody would notice me but alas it wouldn't stop me from getting stuff done. I tighten my hold on my wand and the other on Teddy as I hurried away from them. I didn't want fake attention. Being a war hero wasn't something that I liked to brag about or to entertain idiots with.

Locating the baby store near Madam Makin's shop and stepping inside. Immediately the smell of baby powder and lotion assaulted my senses. Pulling down the front of the cloak so that Teddy could take a look around while I picked up his food and toy. Across the counter, I saw Nina, the girl who owned the shop. She had decided to stay and take over the shop her parents had owned. Her parents had been killed by werewolves during a raid and she had a couple of scars on her hand from it. But not from a werewolf directly. She had tried saving her parents but had instead been thrown out of her living room window.

Nina saw me right away and waved as I walked by her and into the food area. I waved back with my wand in hand and grabbed a bag on the rack and started picking up a couple of food containers for Teddy.

That done I headed towards the toys section and picked up a dragon which flapped its wings gently. Once I showed it to Teddy he squealed loudly and tried making a grab for it. Smiling at his eagerness once again I let him have it as I moved over to the checkout desk where Nina was. Teddy smacked me with the Teddy as I handed Nina the bag filled with baby food.

"Hey Teddy!" exclaimed Nina as she grabbed the bag from me and checked them out before putting it all back in. Teddy smiled wide showing off his almost non-existing teeth. Making sounds that we took as greetings before he turned back to the dragon toy in his fist. "He seem's really taken with this toy. I wonder if he will still play with it next time you bring him." Nina said as she ruffled Teddy's hair. I shrugged, "You know how babies are. He might not let it go but then again he did that with the rattle too. He liked it until he accidently hit his nose on it."

Nina laughed and handed me the bag back. I put it into my bag and pulled out the money pouch. Counting out the money I handed it to her. It was always the same price since she never charged me for the toy. Since the moment I picked it up I knew it would sell out within an hour. I grabbed my the front of the cloak and covered up Teddy again. "Have a good day, Nina," I said as I moved towards the door.

Once I stepped outside the sky wasn't so cloudy but it had stopped raining since before Teddy had been dropped off. Hopefully, it didn't rain again. At least not until I got home. Toddler and rain did not mix well together. I looked down at Teddy, who was now slobbering all over one of the wings. I walked several blocks towards Flourish and Blotts. Some people decided it was fine to gawk at me as I passed by them while others tried talking to me too. Although some were being downright petty.

"Hey, it's Hermione Granger!"

"She always has that child with her…"

"She thinks she's so high and mighty for…"

"Hey! I'm talking to you!"

"I heard she had went into hiding! I guess that was wrong…"

I pulled my wand out and held it slightly out so that everybody could see it and the whispers hushed and they slowly backed away. Yes, I was a war hero but there was a very good reason I was called the smartest witch of my time as well as being known for my explosive temper when angered. Many people forgot that and looked shocked when I did things like this.

I walked briskly towards the bookshop and was almost there when just up ahead I saw a cloaked figure with its hood up. He was just standing slightly out of the alley and looking straight at me. Clenching my wand tighter as I pulled Teddy closer to me. I felt Teddy quiet down for a bit as if sensing my tense stance. I took one step forward and he disappeared around the corner. I debated on leaving right then and there but my feet wouldn't move. Teddy whimpered softly into my chest.

His whimper snapped me out of it,"It's okay Teddy." I rocked him slightly. Teddy gurgled softly and clenched one fist into my sweater and laid his head on my chest. I smiled but it was a little forced as I tried to spot the figure again. Giving up but not forgetting the strange encounter I walked into the bookshop and almost ran into a tall figure with a sweep of bright blond hair.

Draco Malfoy.

I stiffened up as I stared up into his eyes. Which flashed with momentary shock and surprise before he carefully guarded his feelings. He looked away without saying anything. I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to do. He looked different and yet the same. All I could remember was the coward and selfish prat he had always been. But standing before me was a man who was acting like I was going to do something to him. Me.

I had heard that his father was serving three years in Azkaban and his mother was pardoned but only because of Harry. I knew that Severus Snape was living with them but only because Narcissa was taking care of him. Nagini's bite had done a lot of damage and even now he struggled to talk.

How he survived, nobody knows.

A full minute passed before I cleared my throat. He jumped and moved back a couple of steps. He gripped the paper bag in his hands hard as he looked down at me. I could see an inner turmoil going on inside of him. "Malfoy," I said quietly. He jerked and opened his mouth but Teddy decided to scream at that moment and send his dragon toy flying over my shoulder. I stood frozen for a long second before hearing the door behind me open and footsteps move towards us. Teddy continued to shriek with laughter while blowing bubbles into my shoulder. "I believe this is yours?" I moved to the side so that I could keep Malfoy in my line of sight as I turned to the person speaking. I was about to say thank you when I stopped short.

Theodore Nott

I closed my eyes, expecting some slur or something now that Malfoy had back up. When nothing came I opened my eyes and saw Nott holding out the dragon. Teddy twisted around and tried reaching for the dragon. I stiffly grabbed the toy and handed it back to Teddy. Nott looked from me to Malfoy and back again. He didn't glare, didn't sneer, didn't do anything I expected him to. He only stared blankly at us while holding out the toy. I didn't know what to say but I looked past him and gasped harshly at what I saw. The cloaked man was standing on the other side of the door and had a wand pointed a Theodore Nott's back. Or me since I was standing in Nott's side.

Not even thinking about the fact that I was about to save somebody that probably hated me, I ran towards him and for a moment I met his eyes. They looked relieved before they widened as I grabbed his arm and threw him towards Malfoy. As soon as I pushed him I curled my body around Teddy as glass shattered around us and I felt the door being blast inward and hitting my entire backside.

For a moment I couldn't hear anything and I kept seeing black dots in front of me. Blinking hard as I felt something hot slither down my back I looked down at Teddy and saw him wailing. Then all of a sudden the sound came back and his wailing plus the screams outside the shop almost popped my ear drums. I could hear the sound of thundering feet. I felt somebody touch my hand that was clutching the top of Teddy's head. It had blood splatters on it.

I looked up and saw myself being reflected in the wide eyes of Draco Malfoy. "I need Harry…" I said softly. Malfoy nodded and looked around searching for somebody. I staggered to my feet and he grabbed my shoulder. "Take him, here take this string and say Light and it will take him to safety," he nodded and unstrapped Teddy from me.

It almost escaped my notice that he had touched me not once but twice. Almost.

He was still wailing and I checked him real quick before taking the portkey off my wrist, "If anything happens to this child Malfoy, I will hunt you down." I said with a hint of a deadly threat. He stared hard at me as I struggled to stay on my feet.

"That I know, Granger. Theo ran after the guy who blasted the door open." With that, he gently cradled Teddy and whispered, "Light."

Turning away and limping forward I pulled out my wand and with and with an expertly done flick I had my otter out, "Harry there has been an attack in Flourish and Blotts." Sending my otter to Harry, I limped outside while holding on to the side of the building for support. I saw Theodore Nott sending curse after curse towards the still hooded figure. They were both trying to out curse another. I raised my wand at the figure, "Incarcerous!" Instantly there were ropes coiling around the figure and as he went down the hood fell back. I gasped as I saw him.

"No! Why?!"

Feedback is most welcomed.

Already have the next part written. Who do you think it is? I'll give you a hint. It's a boy and he lost his brother during the Battle at Hogwarts.

Vane


	3. Chapter 3

J.K created this world and owns like the queen she is.

\/\/\/

Chapter 3

(Nov.2,1998)

"Hermione!" I heard Harry scream my name from some distance away. I couldn't answer him since I was staring into the face of Dennis Creevey. He looked gaunt and very dirty but the telling feature was his half crazy eyes staring at Theodore Nott. I stepped in front of Nott, getting in the line of sight of Dennis' eyes. Not looking up as I heard several feet running up to us. Dennis looked confused for a moment but then tried to look around me and towards Nott. "They all need to die. They can't be alive. They can't. They deserve to die! I'll get rid of all these disgusting Death Eaters!" he yelled as he tried getting out of the bonds but to no veil.

"You will do nothing, Dennis," said Harry as he stopped on my left. I didn't have to look back to know that Ron was with him as well as half of the Auror's with him. Harry then stunned him and turned to look at me. I knew his eyes would be a little wild with suppressed fury but I still couldn't look away from Dennis. I think I knew why he had done it now and yet it did not make it right.

All of a sudden rain started pouring on all of us. Great.

I felt a hand curve around my jaw, forcing me to look up. Locking my eyes to Harry's green eyes. He had a frown on his face, his hair falling into his eye as the rain made it limp. It was probably making mine look like a wet mop.

Rubbing his thumb across my cheek in an unsteady rhythm before speaking, "Teddy appeared in front of me while I was talking with Remus and Bill. He was screaming at the top of his lungs and kept looking around as if searching for you. Malfoy handed him to us right away but before he could tell us anything your otter came bounding in," he said with a bit of repressed fear in his voice. He let go of me all of a sudden and moved away from me to pinch the bridge of his nose. Ron came towards me and was reaching for my shoulders but instead slid his hands down my back.

As soon as his hands made contact with my back I cried out. "Hermione!" he cried as he let me go of me abruptly. I staggered forward, my legs almost giving out but Harry and Ron grabbed an arm each so that I didn't fall down on the wet cobblestone. "Let me take you to St. Mungo's first while Harry takes Creevey in," said Ron. I tried to nod but it shot pain down my back. "Is Nott in on this too? Hermione?" I gasped, "Not the way you think."

Leaning my body weight on Ron for a bit before looking over his shoulder to look at Nott. He was being questioned by Harry and didn't look rattled at all. His face completely void of emotion. I looked back down onto the floor where Dennis was and realized one thing before the world went black.

The cloak was a dark green color with a visible bottom which I should have seen earlier but hadn't. The other cloak I had seen earlier before going into the shop had been pitch black. Even with the lighting, I should have seen the difference. Being surrounded by Nott and Malfoy had made me tense.

/\/\

I smelled potions first but the distinctive sound of Harry and Ron was more than obvious. I was in St. Mungo's then. I probably fainted from the blood loss like a silly twit. Opening my eyes, things becoming much clearer every time I blinked, to see Harry and Ron standing by my bed. Lightly moving my right hand they turned as one and immediately moved towards me. "Mione," Ron said quietly. Harry grabbed my hand, giving it a firm squeeze. "You scared us a bit there," Harry said as he looked down at me in concern.

His eyes had a little wild look to them still as he gazed into my eyes. I lightly brushed my thoughts against his which helped reduce it a bit. "I'm fine, pretty sure it was only blood loss since I got hit with several splinters from the door as well as the glass."

My back didn't hurt anymore but it did feel a little tender as I tried sitting up. Ron moved to the other side of the bed and both boys helped me up. Feeling a little more composed now that I wasn't laying down on my back I looked around for my wand. Before I could ask where it was at, Harry handed it to me. "I'm guessing you questioned Malfoy and Nott?" I asked as I grabbed both of their hands. Trying not to notice there slight trembling.

"We asked them what they were doing there and what happened from the moment they came into contact with you. They both said that they didn't even know it was you until they looked at you and it was all coincidence that they bumped into you. Nott said he had been late meeting up with Malfoy and Malfoy said he had come to personally pick up his books." Harry said as he rubbed his thumb back forth on my hand. If a stranger happens to look upon us now they would think I was in some relationship with this two.

But that wasn't the case. Nothing could ever happen between us three.

I was about to tell them about what I had seen before the attack but the door to my room opened. Both boys let go of my hands and put their bodies in front me. Just like I had done for Nott. Shaking that thought away I looked around there bodies to see a rumpled Remus with a sobbing baby in his arms. Teddy looked widely around before locating me behind my boys. He started babbling loudly while his hands outstretched towards me. Nodding towards Remus to bring him over to me. He handed him to me immediately without touching me.

"Teddy, don't cry anymore. I'm fine." I kept repeating that over and over again as he grabbed the hospital gown in his tiny fist and sobbed into my chest. "Shhh, it's okay." The boys had moved aside and let Remus stand at the foot of the bed. "He wouldn't calm down at all. I tried everything but he just kept crying and looking around for you." Nodding my head at him to let him know I understood.

I just kept on whispering soft little words till I just ended up humming the same song I always did for him. It took him a couple of minutes to calm down and just lay on my chest with a few sniffles.

"I think Creevey was attacking alone or at least it seemed like it. Before I had gone into Flourish I had seen a figure a few blocks away. He had a black cloak on while Dennis had on a dark green one with a visible bottom on the front. I should have been able to see it even from that far away. If it weren't for Teddy, I would have gone after that person. Although, the figure seemed to be staring at me before Nott had shown up. So, Dennis was after any 'free Death Eater' while the other was more focused on me."

Harry's face had grown dark while Ron's jaw clenched. I passed Teddy, who had fallen asleep, to Remus and moved my legs onto the side of the bed where my boots were at. Harry looked like he was going to protest but chose not to. Smart boy.

"I think you shouldn't go out alone anymore. But we don't really have men to spare at the moment since we have already assigned groups. I know that what I'm going to say will be hard to understand but just listen okay," I stared hard at him before nodding. I wasn't going to argue with him until I heard everything first. "Since you need to find out the locations of most of the missing Death Eaters, it would work in our favor to ask Malfoy and Nott about information. If they step out of line or if you feel like you can't do it I'll assign somebody to be with you during the time you talk to them." Harry said.

I looked down at my boots, which had been cleaned almost perfectly new again. I understood the why but it rankled that I had to deal with both boys again. Knowing I would do anything for all of this to be over with was one thing. But this…

It was asking a bit too much. I had been tortured by Malfoy's crazy psychotic aunt. Nott, who I didn't know much about except that he had stayed away from Malfoy's gang and had stayed in the library back in Hogwarts as much as me, wasn't exactly a friend. But I wasn't friendly or even in talking terms with any of the Slytherins.

Of course, I wasn't. I was below them. I was the very thing they had fought against during the war and even now. I knew that those Death Eaters wouldn't meekly stand down or give themselves up without a fight. I had to find them.

No matter what. Nothing could or would get in the way of that. Not even old school rivalry or prejudice could. Not while monsters were free to do as they pleased while our loved ones lay dead and kids orphaned.

"I'll do it. They have to be caught before they do anything more harmful than stalking me or anybody else. I'll owl Malfoy and Nott about it. But the question is if they would actually help me. People don't change that much and especially them." I said as I stood up with the help of Ron.

Harry moved over to my side of the bed, "Just be on alert with them. I'll keep questioning Dennis about what he did and try to find out if his working by himself or if he knows somebody that feels the same way as he does." he said as he handed me some clothes that vaguely looked like his. I made them turn away from me before quickly changing into some sweatpants and a loose sweater. They smelled like Harry's musky scent. Lastly, I pulled on my boots and put my hair up into a large bun.

Remus, who had sat near the window with Teddy, looked up at me. "Are you still going to be able to look after him? It's fine if you can't." I was already nodding, "I'm fine enough to take him. My mother should be home any moment now so she could help too." Turning towards Harry and Ron, I was about to ask about my bag but stopped when I saw Ron reach behind him. "I saw your bag earlier and picked it up after we brought you here. It has only been an hour since the accident but I'm sure that by now she knows what has happened."

Bag in hand again I turned towards Remus and took Teddy from him. "I'll just floo home from Fabian's office. I'll send word to you about how I'm going to get them to talk to me." I was almost at the door when I felt two separate hands on my shoulders. "Please be safe, Hermione. You really did scare us today." Harry said quietly as he leaned his head on my shoulder. Ron didn't say anything but I could also feel his desperation and fear beating at my mental shields. Swallowing hard against the knot in my throat before speaking, "I will. You stay safe too. I can't lose you both. I'm tired of burying friends and family. I don't ever want to do it with you two."

I left before a floodgate of emotions could take us.

Briskly walking down the hall which was thankfully near Fabian's office, I walked in knowing he wasn't in. He always left his door open when he was in the room. And closed it when he wasn't in the room.

I arrived in my living room for what felt like the hundredth time today. I looked around but saw no sign of my mother. A small snore filled the silent room and I smiled down at Teddy who had a frown on his little baby face. I walked into my room to set Teddy down on his crib and set a monitor with a few charms so I would know the minute he awakened.

Leaving the door slightly opened I headed back downstairs. Pulling off my bag in the kitchen and taking out all of the baby foods and putting them away. I remembered that Nott had been holding the toy dragon I had gotten Teddy. I hoped that Teddy wouldn't remember about it. I hadn't been about to look into my personal idea but I could go with somebody else in the meantime. Or send for them but I wasn't one to hide away. Pulling out several pieces of parchment and started on the letter I would be sending Malfoy first.

Malfoy,

I am writing to you about some information you may have on the missing Death Eaters or if Professor Snape has some ideas that he hasn't shared with the Auror's? I'll be waiting for your reply.

Hermione Granger

It was formal and informal at the same time. I didn't hold respect for him but I did for Snape. At least enough to be polite to his godson. I hurried and wrote a similar letter to Nott. I walked over to the window which was above of the sink and opening the window. I tapped three times and waited for Soa to come to me. She was an owl that I had saved a few days after moving here. She had a broken wing and was huddled on the same window I was for her at.

Soa had all black feathers except for one feather on her neck that was red. Seeing a shadow above the window ledge before Soa landed on it. Smiling at her dramatic drop I ruffled her neck feathers. "Hey, Soa, I need you to take this to Draco Malfoy and this other one to Theodore Nott," I said as I tied each separately on each leg. I reached over to the side of the sink where I had her stash of treats and pulled out a large meaty treat. "I'll leave this for you here so when you come back just eat it okay."

Soa flapped her wing, the one that had been broken, and took off the ledge with a dramatic flap of her wings. She was such a show off sometimes. I hadn't known she was a magical owl until I had been speaking to my mom about getting an owl. I had left the window open during our conversation and had not seen the little owl sneak in. She had flown towards me and pecked me on the nose. It had brought out such delightful laughter from my mother that I hadn't gotten mad about it.

My mother had rarely laughed before that day and the sound of it had filled me with such sadness and joy since I knew that my father's death had almost stolen that ability from her. Soa had prattled about the table with her head held high and dramatically prancing around. I had gotten the message clearly. SHE had chosen me and I wasn't about to go and get another owl since I already had her.

Leaving the window open since there was only a slight drizzle outside, I walked into the living room with a book I had been given by Poppy during my regular visits to her office. I had asked her to look into it for me. Looking down at the cover of the book which read Healing Dark Arts. She had told me not to use most of the spells, charms, and potions in here but she should have known better than telling me that.

I needed this in order to achieve this new idea of mine. It wasn't something the Wizardly world had but I think people needed it. It would help me too. Or at the least help others.

\/\/\/

Feedback is welcomed.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Vane


	4. Chapter 4

J.K Rowling is the one and only owner of the wonderful world of Harry Potter.

\/\/\/

 **Chapter 4**

 **(Nov.3, 1998)**

"Are you sure? You're not hurting or do you need me to check for you?" Mother asked as she fixed us a late lunch. She had been asking me that same question for the past few hours. "I'm fine, mom," I said as I tried to unsuccessfully feed Teddy. He kept teasing me by opening his mouth several times, almost taking the food, then turning his head at the last minute. He had more food on his hair than anything. His hair changed to a bright red when he did so before he started laughing. I was used to it since he only did it with me. But still.

"I was healed at the hospital, mom, it heals almost instantly. Plus you know they wouldn't have let me leave if it had been otherwise." They really wouldn't have, those boys, looked after me now more than ever. "I know, I'm just worried about you, darling," she said as she set a warm plate of food in front of me. I dug into the eggs as I left Teddy with his bottle of warm milk. Every time I hurt myself as a child she would make a big deal out of it. Didn't most mothers do that?

"Harry said that we can't go out alone, especially us two together. It kind of irritates me that I had gotten hurt and was practically useless. I almost got Teddy hurt yesterday." I said quietly.

My mother was looked out the window as she spoke, "From what you've told me, you saved those two boys. Especially the boy by the door. It did put Teddy in danger. But in the end, you were the only one hurt."

Setting my fork down as I looked outside briefly, I was about to reply when a shadow passed by the window. Picking up my wand and without even thinking set up a shield around both of them before moving towards the window. The shadow passed again before a large owl landed where Soa usually did. I heard my mother gasp in awe, while Teddy babbled excitedly. I understood the awe since the bird was beautiful. The bird was rarely ever in service of wizards and I didn't know anybody that actually owned one.

I looked down at the owl's clawed feet and saw two envelopes tied to one. I cautiously moved towards the owl, who had cocked his head began to track my every move with its beady eyes. Slowly reaching for the envelopes, the owl just extended his leg out gracefully. Once I got them of him, he immediately turned and took off. Soa must have gone hunting since she didn't give us a warning that an unknown owl was coming.

Taking the shield down from around my mother and Teddy, I nodded distractingly at my mom before kissing Teddy on the head before walking upstairs to my room. Glancing down at both letters, one which had a graceful handwriting while the other had a more scratchy familiar writing. Both addressed to me. I knew who the sender of the letter was since he had graded my papers since my first year. The other one must be from Nott.

Sitting down on my desk and pulling out a large file holder from the bottom drawer. I lightly waved my wand to check for any harmful charms over Nott's letter. I didn't worry over Snape's since he would never do something like that. I didn't know Nott well enough so I couldn't be too sure. Although, I remember his face when he thought that I was going to attack before saving him. He had looked relieved for a second there. Almost like he was expecting… something unpleasant but deserving.

Opening up Nott's letter first which only had a small paragraph. I honestly didn't think he would reply to me personally. I had thought that he would contact Harry or even Kingsley himself. I didn't know if it was forced or not but I couldn't focus on that right now.

 **Hermione Granger,**

 **I know many things and most of which I had told to the Auror's and the minister himself. I was asked for last known locations as well as the old hideouts. I told them everything I did know. Which wasn't much, to begin with, I don't know if it would help to look into them for more clues but I would give you several copies of the known places as well as a list of the old family manors and vacation homes. I am currently staying with the Malfoy's but we could meet somewhere else if that isn't an option.**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Theodore Nott**

I almost ripped the sheet in half without realizing it. He was asking me to meet him at the Manor. Flashes of my one and only experience there ran wild in my head. I knew that I had said I would do anything but merlin, I didn't think it would be something like this. As gently as I could, I set it down on the desk and tried to calm my racing heart. It was making it hard for me to breath.

Clenching my fist in my lap and trying to breathe in and out slowly while staring down at the unopened letter in front of me with almost no emotion at all on my face. A few more moments passed before I could move again. I had to do this. Opening the letter Snape sent with almost all of my emotions under control, I read it carefully.

 **Miss Granger,**

 **You must have been told that I hadn't been able to talk with the Auror's since I can't actually speak. I do have a bit more of information concerning some of the missing Death Eaters. The problem is communicating since the attack from Nagini happened. I am sure Potter told you about legilimency. Something I had tried teaching the boy before. Well, I would have tried that in order to communicate with the Auror's but I had lost the ability to control it and wasn't sure if I wouldn't scramble somebody's brains by accident. Since I can't actually write it down because of the binding spells I had been forced into making with them. Most of which had already died or had been imprisoned, while the wards around Azkaban made it possible to disclose such information, I passed the information to the Auror's and Potter. I have tried practicing with Draco and Theodore Nott as well but the price is always somewhat bad. I'm staying at the Malfoy Manor along with this two and Mrs. Malfoy. I know that coming here is...not a pleasant thought but I think you would not want us visiting you out in public in case word gets back to them much less meeting in your home.**

 **Severus Snape**

Basically, he was telling me that he couldn't have been able to tell anybody about the rest of information he had since the binding spells were still in place since the missing Death Eater's weren't dead or in prison. I would have to go to the Manor but I knew that Harry and Ron would never willingly let me go by myself without them going as well. They both might have different jobs but right now they were both working together trying to get this done as soon as possible before dead bodies started showing up. I could meet them somewhere else but the Order was still active and any of the safe house's could be occupied.

Knowing that there wasn't much choice in the matter except to go to the Manor, terrified me. But I would not let that stand in the way. Not when my future plan was basically what I was about to do.

Looking up at the bookshelf on my wall, which held the book I had picked up from the Sirius's library, I pulled it out. This one that had caught my interest since way before Harry had told me about the failed attempt at learning legilimency. I had read the book over twenty times. But I had kept it a secret this whole time since it was impossible for somebody of my age to have been able to become a master of both legilimency and occlumency. It would have brought unwanted attention. I hadn't even known anybody personally who had been able to do it. Severus Snape didn't count since he had never liked me. I had practiced occlumency a lot more than legilimency since being the later one exposed me to randy boys who could only think of the next lay and the girls were worse. I had learned many things from both adults and students some things which were quite shocking.

Although, I think Dumbledore had known since I could never read him or even look him in the eye without it feeling a little too intimate. Pulling out a clean piece of parchment and a quill and setting them on the desk. I wasn't sure if I was going to come to regret doing this but I needed to this for myself. I couldn't always rely on the boys to save me or protect me.

 **Professor Snape,**

 **I will meet you at the manor. I know where it is at so I'll meet you by the gates. I will just be me so I'll be there tomorrow at eleven in the morning so that we can discuss the matter in person.**

 **Sincerely,**

 **Hermione Granger**

Walking downstairs to see my mother with Teddy watching the telly, although Teddy seemed more interested in the necklace on my mother's chest than anything. Smiling as I walked by them and into the kitchen to see Soa already perched on the window. She didn't turn to look at me but instead was watching the skies with rapt concentration.

"Soa," I whispered to her as I tied the letter to her clawed foot. She still wouldn't look at me but she did lean her head down to pet her. "Take it to Severus Snape at the Manor." Finally looking over at me, she hooted and with a wide flap of her wings she took off into the clouded sky.

"Is Harry still coming today?" My mother asked as she bounced Teddy on her hip. Grabbing a new bottle for his milk pouch, I filled it up before answering her. "You know he always comes, he can't stay away. Although, I don't think Ron will be able to make it. He had sent me a letter earlier saying that he was taking his mom out tonight. Just the two of them." I reached for Teddy, who had spied the bottle and knew it was nap time. My mother stayed in the kitchen to prepare dinner while I moved to the living room. Teddy had already snagged the bottle from me and now curled up into my arms as he tugged at one of my curls.

Sitting down on the couch, which had a full view of the uncovered window, gazing out into the cloudy sky. As a child, I had like the rain, especially when the rain would turn to snow if the temperature was cold enough. It still hadn't snowed yet but I was expecting it to snow any day now. I loved the snow as well but ever since the Forest of Dean, it had been so relaxing to just watch the snow fall. The snow had been the one thing we hadn't had to brave, unlike the Acromantulas and Inferi. The snow had been the least dangerous of them. The snow had reminded us of home.

Feeling Teddy sag a little against, meaning he was fast asleep. I carefully laid him down to sleep in the playpen my mother had set up earlier. Making sure he was comfortable before heading back into the kitchen. Crookshanks had apparently decided to show his mangy face and was sitting on top of the stove while my mother tried pulling him away. He had been wondering around a lot and was never really home.

"Crookshanks, leave mum alone. She will burn you. Remember what happened last time." My mum gave me a reproaching look before bending down to get out some pans to make dinner with. Crookshanks slowly got up a slunk out the window without a backward look. Except for it tail, which it brushed the top of my mother's head. Termaine just gave a small laugh, Crookshanks had made the bun on her head come apart completely since it had been hanging on by a few hairs. My mother's hair was straight unlike mine. I had gotten the curls from my father and the color from her. So it wasn't a mess unlike mine would have been.

"That cat of yours does as he wants. There's no point in chiding him. He will do it again." I almost laughed but my mum's face stopped me from doing so. "He only does it to adults, mom, except for Dumbledore and Sirius. Although, Sirius being a dog and playing with him was probably what made him rebellious in the first place." I said with a sad smile. Mother stopped what she was doing for a bit. "They both died didn't they."

Remembering the way Sirius used to always ruffle Harry's hair and Dumbledore's odd but kind twinkle it really hit me hard right then and there. They had been gone before but the war had reached its climax. It hadn't given us time mourn their deaths. We shed a few tears but had moved on.

My heart started giving some painful thumps. I hadn't realized that I had closed my eyes and had silent tears running down my face until mother brushed her thumbs across my face, wiping them away.

Opening them up and staring up into her eyes which had been clear before were clouded with such raw emotion it was painful to stare at them. I had lost close friends but she had lost her soul-mate. Maybe not to them exactly but if I hadn't made them leave in the first place...

I faintly heard the floo activate and pushed my mother back roughly behind me with my wand out. "It's just me, Mione," Harry said as he walked into the kitchen. He froze as his eyes landed on my face. He quickly walked over to me. Mother had turned away from us.

I vaguely remember her once saying that seeing us together along with Ron was painful but beautiful at the same time. You couldn't help but smile and cry at the same time. I didn't understand that.

"Hermione." Just saying my name reminded me that I was always the one holding him and Ron together. They had never seen me break down like this before and I couldn't let him see it. I had always been the one they came to for this. Not the other way around.

"No. Don't do that. You always start occluding and you pay the price without us around to help you. Mione, I love you. Ron loves you too. We want to help you, be here for you like you are for us." Harry said as he pulled me into his arms. But instead of him doing the holding it was me. Like it has always been. "I just don't want you hurting, Mione," he said brokenly. I know you don't, Harry. But the war gave us no choice and now we hurt and cry in each other's arms. I whispered into his mind.

Looking over his shoulder to see my mother, who had slightly turned her head to catch a glimpse of us, was crying. She looked from Harry to me and shook her head gently. It's okay, mom. I sent her. She jumped slightly as she looked wildly around for a moment before her eyes snapped back to mine. I hadn't spoken to her using legilimency before so she hadn't been prepared. But, just like the moment she had found out about me being magical, she took it in stride. I know, Hermione. But it's one thing to know my daughter fought in a war before she was even considered an adult and won; another to see the results of the war itself.

Breaking the connection between us as Harry pulled back and smiled down sadly at me. "It always ends this way doesn't. I try and comfort you and yet it turns out this way." I lightly ran my fingers through his hair, "You know it. Teddy's awake now so go get him while we start preparing dinner." He nodded and left the kitchen but not before picking up a bag of chips on his way out.

I stared at the door long after he was gone with a sinking feeling in my stomach. For some reason, I knew that the danger wasn't over just because the war was.

I just hope that nobody else died. I didn't want to know what I would do if something ever happened to my mother, Teddy, Harry, Ron, and everybody else that I loved.

\/\/\/

Hope that kind of gave you a glimpse of the complicated relationship between the three of them.

Feedback is most welcomed.

Happy late 's Day!

Vane


	5. Chapter 5

J.K Rowling's is the boss, I'm just the underling that only uses what she has gifted us with. Take it as you will.

Chapter 5

(Nov. 4, 1998)

"Hermione!"

Bolting upright and jostling Teddy, who had been curled up beside me, I scrambling up with him in my arms. Harry's shouted again as I reached my door with Teddy whimpering in my arms. Opening the door to see my mum coming out of her room as well with just her nightgown on while I had on sweatpants with a flimsy jumper that used to be Harry's.

Handing her Teddy before heading downstairs to see why he was here. It was still dark outside so it meant it was still night or early morning. Harry wouldn't barge in like this unless it was important. He had left a little after dinner since he was picking Ginny up from the Burrow.

Coming into the living room with mum right behind me to see Harry pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. "What's wrong, Harry?" He had obviously been home since he was wearing different clothing and his hair was a lot curlier than usual. "Hermione. I- God, I don't know how to feel but I just-," his face took on an expression of fury and anguish before he finished talking, "Their dead. I mean I wasn't talking to them since they came back but I just don't know if I'm sad because they're literally blood wise the only family I had left since that aunt of mine died two years ago or that they died the way they did."

The Dursley's were the one's he was talking about then. His aunt and uncle as well as his cousin who had bullied him. "I thought you said they had moved away?" He was about to answer when Teddy let out a loud wail. Harry finally seemed to realize that we were in our nightclothes and that he had woken up everyone else. He walked around me and towards Teddy who had buried his face into my mother's neck. He picked him and was trying to calm him down while mum left us alone while she headed towards the kitchen. Probably to make us tea and keep her hands busy. She hated any kind of talk that involved death.

"They had moved away but they came back last month. Not in the same place but close enough that they must have been seen. I got a patronus from Kingsley who had been working late and had heard that there had been a large magical signal from the wand of somebody they had been tracking near Little Whinging. Two Aurors that had been on duty went to check on it and had reported back to Kingsley through their own patronus saying it looked like regular fire until the other one touched it on accident and went up instantly. Block didn't know what happened. Arabella Figg had confirmed that it was them." Harry said as he followed my mother into the kitchen. Walking in behind him to see my mother already pouring tea into three cups plus a warm bottle of milk for Teddy. Harry sat Teddy down on his chair before handing him his bottle. Teddy babbled into his bottle while watching us carefully. He didn't deserve to grow up in this kind of world. Even though we had to when we were young.

The gruesome picture he had painted with his words had drenched me in a cold embrace and sending chills down my body. That was certainly something we had seen before. "It was Fiendfyre wasn't it. The same one that killed Crabbe." I said as I sipped my tea.

The smell of Earl Grey filled the room, the aroma almost soothing us into a false sense of calm. Harry stared down at his tea while his jaw ticked, "Yes, thought this time it was somebody else that cast it but actually got away with it." I stared at his hands, which were clenched around the mug tightly. "Who? I didn't think that anybody other than the most powerful wizards could weld it much less control it."

"This person didn't control it at all. The wand signal had come from somebody that we think is already dead. When the ministry had wanted to catch the missing Death Eaters, he had set wards, spells, and charms so that we knew whenever they used their own wands. But we hadn't included the ones that had already died or we thought were dead. Most wands had never been recovered. Gregory Goyle was seen at the scene. He dropped the wand just as Auror Shirhan saw him but since he had never seen Goyle before didn't let the others know who he had seen. Kingsley and Amelia Bones had to run the description before asking us if we knew who it was. Which still isn't much since somebody using a polyjuice potion but the thing is; the wand used had been Alecto's." Harry said grimly while taking a large mouthful of tea. He probably wished it were something stronger but I knew he wouldn't drink.

He had once said that seeing Sirius get drunk made him realize that it didn't make things better. Just worst. Sirius had told him that he drank because he should have never outlived James and Lily.

Forcing my shields tighter as my emotions started taking a dark turn; I reached for Harry's hand. It was warm from the cup but when I moved my arm higher his skin was ice cold. "I'm guessing you came from checking on Goyle's residence?" I asked as he wrapped his arm around me. "Yeah, the manor was empty since the Ministry took almost anything that had dark magic in it." Which was a lot actually? Nobody was surprised, to say the least. They had also found bodies of several young girls whose bodies had been in the dungeons.

The bodies had been in several stages of decomposition while others had been only bones. That led to believe that Goyle Sr. had been doing this for years before Riddle had come into power again. The elf's had been forbidden to talk about it but since Goyle Sr. was dead they had confirmed what we had already figured out. The ages of the girls had ranged from as young as six and the oldest twenty. We didn't have to look closely to know what they had been kept for.

Harry had come to me that night since he had been the one to discover it. He had sat on my bed and just stared at the wall for hours. It had been almost morning when he had finally spoken. But every now and then he would tell me more of what he had seen. I hadn't gone nor had Ron since he had been helping Bill move back into the Burrow with Fleur.

"We didn't find anything and the wards we had set before hadn't gone off. I was told to go home since the muggle authorities might try to get in touch with me. Ginny was home but I didn't want her to see me like this." Harry said as he pushed his cup away. Poor Ginny, she had moved in with Harry and Ron at Grimland place just two months after the battle because they couldn't live at the Burrow. Ron sometimes stayed with his parents when he couldn't be around Harry. Molly had been remote for the first few weeks before just fading slightly before us. She tried making efforts to be cheerful or even motherly but losing three sons had really hit her hard.

"Go back to her Harry. She wants to be there for you. You know I'll always be here. We may not be blood-related but I do see you as my brother." I said gently as I pulled away from. My mother got up to pick up Teddy who had slumped forward and had a bit drool coming out of his mouth. Mum passed by us and gave Harry a kiss on his head before walking out without saying anything. Mum knew better than to hug him but a kiss was okay. I could handle being touched by her too but sometimes I just couldn't...

Harry stared at me for a while before he got up and moved behind me. His arms slid around my shoulders as he leaned down to lay his head on mine. "I know. I see you as a sister and now you're the only family I have left aside from the Weasleys, Remus, and Teddy. I love Ginny so much but I fear to lose her just like everybody else. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night to stare at her for hours. She's so amazing and smart. I just can't trouble her with my petty problems. When something happened I always came to you or Ron but mostly you since Ron would just agree with me even if it meant trouble. You, on the other hand, have always made me see the wrong even when I didn't want to."

"Harry, I love you but you can be an idiot sometimes. Ginny loves you and she probably doesn't think you're problems are 'petty' as you put it. Go to her and try to talk to her. She is sweet but don't forget that she too is still hurting," I said as I pushed him away to get up. I ruffled his hair and grabbed all three cups before moving to the sink, "Love her and trust her to listen to you."

He sighed, "I know. I suppose I should try but I do need you, Mione. I need Ron and you. With you two I have always felt like we could do anything, survive anything. Sometimes I get anxious if I don't hear from either of you. It probably won't ever go away. I'll let you know if something else comes up. Bye, Mione." He said as he walked out.

I washed the cups before putting them away with a sad sigh. I had wanted to get it all done before anybody died but I guess that was impossible. Especially since we were dealing with people who hadn't minded going to war with a bunch of teenagers. They had killed children, women and men alike without remorse. Looking over at the clock to check the time and realized that the sun was about to come up any moment now.

Heading upstairs, I was about to check on my mother but she was already sitting at the top of the stairs, I walked up until I was one step away from her. I moved to sit on her left side and wrapped my arm around her. "When I see both of you like that it's easy to see how people would mistake you both as an item. The same can be said for Ron and you. But it isn't. Only the one's that know you three closely understand that you three need each other. I used to worry that you would never have close friends when you left for your first year. But now I see that was never going to be a problem with those too. You found lifelong friends. The war just made it so that friendship would age far before it's time."

"I'll admit that I too was afraid I would never make friends and at first that was true. I didn't like Ron at first and Harry was just the boy who lived to me. They were horrible to me at first but as the year went on I came to love them," I laughed softly, "I used to have a crush on both boys. Hey, don't laugh! Mum! I'm serious!" Mum snorted before laughing outright at me. "Your father was right! We had spoken about which boy you would end up liking and I said, Harry, while your father said both jokingly."

"Mum! Dad would never have said that. He forbid me from dating till I was twenty!," I gasped in fake outrage. Mum giggled, "Oh, your father was only joking but I think he was a little serious." It was the first time she had willingly spoken about dad so I really didn't want her to stop talking. I hugged her tight as she continued talking. "Actually, your father and I had the same experience. I was best friends with him and another boy named Lane Wood. We only ever saw him in the summer when he came to visit family. We saw him all the way up to our Junior year in High School and never heard from him again. Hayden asked me out a year later and we headed off to college together. The rest you know." She finished with a small smile on her face.

"I miss father so much," I whispered as my eyes watered. Mum grabbed my hand tightly, "I miss him too, pumpkin."

\/\/\/

It was almost time to leave when I woke up from the nap I had taken with Teddy on the couch. Mum grabbed him to give him some food while I went upstairs to change. I changed into some dark jeans and a brown pullover before strapping the holster for my wand around my wrist. I put on the new portkey Remus had sent over around my neck. It was a simple necklace made of dark string with a black bead on it. I had to just tap it twice and it would take me to the Burrow.

Pulling on my dragonhide boots I had gotten from Ron and Harry which had been the present I had forgotten about back at Kingsley's office. They had shrunken the boots and placed them into a box. I had been thinking of getting some for some time.

Grabbing the cloak that was hanging behind the door, I grabbed my bag and shoved two books into it and some parchment with quills. I hesitated for a bit but didn't want to risk it and added some potions as well. Walking down the stairs just as mum came into the living room with Teddy and Crookshanks. "Remus said he was coming over for lunch so you should be fine during the time I'm gone. If he asks where I'm at just tell him I'm at the ministry." She frowned at me for a bit but didn't question me. "Alright, take care." Nodding at her, I kissed Teddy on the cheek and stepped outside to apparate to Malfoy Manor.

Landing a bit unsteadily on the gravel floor, I pulled the cloak tighter around me as I looked up at the gates in front of me. They looked the same as the last time I had seen them except that the gates were wide open and there was no Bellatrix. I stayed standing there for God knows how long. I hadn't realized that three figures that had walked up to me until I heard their close footsteps in front of me. I had already taken my wand out and was pointing it at them when my vision focused.

Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, and Theodore Nott were standing in front of me not even defending themselves. I swallowed hard past the lump in my throat, "Sorry, I was lost in thought and I wasn't paying attention." Nott shrugged while Malfoy stared down at the floor. Snape was staring intently at me but otherwise didn't try to talk. I stepped forward and felt the pull of the wards as I did. Not commenting as to why they had them up; I walked until I was directly in front of Malfoy, while Snape was to my right and Nott to my left. I kept a careful distant from them since I didn't want any accidental touching.

Malfoy still wouldn't look at me but instead kept his gaze on the floor. "Malfoy." Nott's low voice seemed to snap him out and without so much as a glance at me, turned around and headed back the way they had come. I walked right behind as I felt the others walking behind me. We stopped at the large doors in front of the manor, Draco pushed the door opened and stepped aside to let me in first. I took one step and almost staggered. The door had opened almost the same way as the last time I had been here. But this time I was doing it willingly.

God help me, Merlin watch over me, please. I didn't want to do this but I needed to. If only to break away and move on with my life. Being afraid of one room shouldn't be an obstacle when the lives of the innocent people were at stake.

\/\/\/

I'll be updating 3 to 4 times a week since I do have a job that requires me to stay up late. But I do write on my breaks even if it means typing it up later. As to the fact that Hermione says God instead of Merlin is that she grew up not knowing about the wizardly world so she uses God like one would Merlin. Same as Harry even though he is a half-blood.

Feedback is most welcome. Let me know what you think!

Vane


	6. Chapter 6

She is the owner of the world; she is J.K Rowling.

\/\/\/

Chapter 6

(Nov. 4)

"Welcome, Miss Granger." Narcissa voice filled the air, distracting me from my inner turmoil. She was standing in the middle of the foyer. I forced myself to step forward and give her a bland smile. "Mrs. Malfoy," I said in a low but firm voice. I was surprised my voice didn't crack. The room I had been tortured was to my left and I hoped she didn't lead us there. I would really panic, then and I couldn't afford for that to happen.

Narcissa led us to the opposite side and into a large room with tall windows and a set of doors that seem to lead towards a small garden. There was a large bookshelf to the right. In the middle of the room was a couple of seats with a glass table in the center.

I moved towards the seat that had it's back to the doors leading outside. Snape sat on the seat to my left while Malfoy sat with his mother in front of me. Nott walked over to my right and leaned against the bookshelf instead of sitting down.

"Would you like some tea?" asked Narcissa. I was already shaking my head, "No, I'm fine, thank you."

Snape was staring hard at me. I felt something brushed against my shields; he was trying to talk to me but it did feel differently. "Go ahead, link," he shook his head before pulling out a notebook, "I can handle it." He lifted his brow in question. Opening my bag and pulling out the book I had taken from Sirius's library. Snape immediately reacted by leaning forward and taking it from me.

Narcissa had moved away from her son to look at the book with a frown. "That book belonged to Phineas Nigellus Black. Why do you have it?" Feeling two sets of eyes on me as I leaned back on my seat. "I don't know if it's common knowledge but Sirius left all of the books in the Black family to me. Amongst other things." Narcissa gasped, while Snape only nodded.

Snape waved his hand over the notebook before floating it to me. "He can talk to you like that. It's connected to his thoughts. I have told him everything I know, which he seems to know already so there wasn't much." Nott said. I didn't look at him but did nod my understanding. Grabbing the notebook out of the air, his familiar writing started to show up on it.

"Granger, I have a lot of stuff I wish to talk to you about but the most important thing right now is giving you the information. Since when have you been able to do legilimency?"

"I found the book around the summer between my fourth and fifth year. I had asked Sirius if I could take a book from the library and he said that any book of his is mine since nobody would ever read them. I found many Dark books and amongst them, I found that one. I was intrigued by it and at first, I only read it on my spare time. It wasn't until Harry told me that you had tried teaching him that I actually started practicing it. Eventually, I came to master it without difficulty. I knew for sure that I had been able to do it correctly when Bellatrix tried to get into my head. She couldn't so that made her angrier." I said. Narcissa had turned to look at me while Draco shifted around in his seat.

He handed the book back to me and I glanced down at the notebook as he continued talking. "I will try to connect with you but I don't know if it will work regardless if you're a master of it or not. It will be painful so brace for it."

"I understand, sir."

Putting away the book before taking out two phials. One was empty while the other had contained dark blue liquid. "Go ahead." With a wave of his wand, he entered my mind. I tensed as I sensed him pushing through my mind and encounter the shield protecting me. I opened it slightly and I gasped out loud. God, that hurt! It was almost as bad as being under the cruciatus curse. Gripping the sidearms of the chair I leaned forward as I tried breathing in and out. He quickly gave me everything he knew and more. Sorting through everything he sent me and trying not to shout as his thoughts pummeled me.

I could already feel my hands shaking from the strain. I could faintly hear the others leave the room as Snape continued. Closing my eyes tightly while trying to gain control of my breathing when it all stopped. The information was whirling in my head. Memories of hidden bases where people had gotten tortured, locations of the bodies they had dumped.

As soon as he left my mind I closed myself off. I had though I had been prepared but I had been so wrong. Leaning back with the heels of my hands pressed against my eyes. "I'll send it to Harry as soon as I can. He will recheck everything plus the new locations."

Opening my eyes slowly as I sat up again I found him staring at me. He was staring at me with an unfamiliar emotion in his black eyes. I didn't know what to say to him. He had done so many things for us and yet…

Leaning forward to grab the phial with the dark liquid, I gave it to him. "I asked somebody to send me this. I had told this person before about the bite. How it had damaged your vocal cords and so on. It took a while for it to be ready. It will help you speak again. Although, I can't really assure you that it will restore your voice completely. I wanted to wait until after we were done since I didn't know how it would affect you." His dark eyes became even darker at that. The notebook floated in front of me again. "I understand. Normally I would never take anything that I hadn't personally made but I have been trying a lot of potions recently that I hadn't made. This one can't be any different."

He held his hand out to accept it. After giving it to him I turned to the empty phial on the table. Taking my wand I touched the tip to my temple and pulled out several memories. White misty swirls filled the air around me as I pulled one after another. They all went into the phial. Once they were all in there I closed it and was about to speak when I heard a harsh gasp fill the air.

Sharply turning to Snape, who was quickly opening up his robes. I watched in rapt attention as the redness of the scars fade. The scars themselves stayed but they looked faded. Almost like they were years old and not months. Putting the phial with the memories away I got up and walked over to him. He had his eyes closed while one of his hands rubbed at his neck. I vaguely heard the door open before somebody grabbed me bodily from behind, their arms hauling me away from Snape. I didn't struggle, I didn't scream.

I just waited.

Narcissa had walked over to Snape while Malfoy stood in between me and his godfather. He wasn't looking at me or at him but at the door. Almost like he was waiting for something or somebody. Nott had one of his arms around my waist the other on my neck. Almost like when Bellatrix…

Closing my eyes against those images I started to breathe a little faster. A panic attack wasn't something I wanted to show these people. I didn't want to acknowledge the fact that I was letting Nott touch me. I was letting him touch me only because I knew if I reacted in some way the Auror's and Harry would be on their way. Not for any other reason.

Narcissa was trying to find out what was wrong with Snape when his silky voice filled the air. "Let her go."

Nott gave a startled, "Sir?" Malfoy had whirled around to face his godfather in surprise, "Godfather?" Narcissa had been caught off guard as well.

"Let her go. She didn't do anything but meddle like she always has." Nott let go of me slowly. I stayed where I was at since I didn't want to trigger anybody else while also trying really hard not to notice the body heat coming from behind me. "How are you feeling? They wanted to know since it will be added to the observations they had going."

Snape got up as he came over to me. He handed me the empty phial, "I feel fine. There is a slight itch in my throat and the skin is somewhat tender to the touch. The scars are still there from what I was feeling but less pronounced." he said as he lightly touched the base of his neck. His voice sounded almost like it had before. The others looked at him to me but didn't ask or say anything.

I put away the phial and stepped away from both men and towards the door. "I'll give Harry this while I look closely at other family locations. Let me know if anything else comes up and how you're feeling." I was already opening the door when I heard Narcissa speak, "Mrs. Granger." I was almost past my limit. I didn't know how much longer I could stay in here. "Yes?"

"I wanted to apologize for what she did to you. To say sorry for not doing anything. I'll admit that I did believe in blood purity and my dislike of anything muggle. I was raised that way. I raised Draco the same way. But we are sorry nevertheless." I didn't turn around to look at them. I couldn't.

"I accept your apology. Have a good day." Opening the door and silently walking towards the entrance down the hallway. I was almost at the door when I was stopped for the second time that day. "Granger." Malfoy's voice filled the large foyer. I didn't know if I should go for my wand or not. "What is it, Malfoy?" I asked.

I turned around when he didn't answer me. He was a couple of feet away from me. Nott was standing behind him looking at me with no hint of emotion on his face. Malfoy had his hands to his side and he had his shoulders hunched over. "I just wanted to apologize. For everything. I was already planning on doing it but I wasn't sure when or how. I'm sorry that for what I did and didn't do. I never wanted this to happen."

"You don't need to apologize. The people who were adults when we were just children should be the ones to say sorry. They shoved this war onto us and we had to do what was expected of us. I know you did it for your father. I did because I was Harry Potter's best friend and also a mudblood. It happened and it's done. Now we move on and live." I said firmly. He nodded slowly, "I'm still sorry. I hadn't realized how sorry I was for everything until THAT day."

Nott stepped around him, "I didn't thank you for saving me back at the shop." he said as he stopped a couple of feet away from me. "I would have done it for anyone," I said as I looked up into his eyes. They were surprisingly hazel green.

He nodded but didn't step away. I didn't know what else to do but I knew that I needed to get out. I had been occluding since the moment I had sat down and it was starting to waver with their apologies and memories.

I nodded at them and turned around to open the door. "Granger." Nott's voice halted me. "Have a good day." I nodded quickly and stepped out of the manor. It was raining lightly and the wind was a bit cold and yet I couldn't feel it. I apparated to my backyard.

Walking into my house I noticed the lack of sound automatically. The kitchen light was one so I headed there first. On the kitchen counter, I saw a note with my mother's handwriting.

Hermione,

Remus came by and decided to take Teddy with him for tonight and maybe tomorrow. I went with them since Teddy seems to be coming down with something. I left some lunch in the fridge for you.

Setting the paper aside I went upstairs to my room. Taking off my cloak and purse I set down to write notes. One was to Harry along with the phial and the other was to Viktor. He had stopped playing and now worked with several Potion Masters. He had been here for three months helping rebuild Hogwarts as well as bringing some Potions Masters with him to help St. Mungo's. Without Snape, the hospital had been running really low on some advanced potions and they had needed help.

He had stayed with me during that time before I had headed off to Hogwarts. I had told him about Snape's conditions and he had offered to help. He had sent over the potion while I had taken a nap earlier and asked me to get back at him with the results.

I finished the letters and sent them off with Soa. Eating the late lunch my mother had left I moved to the living room where I pulled out the book I had been reading. The folder next to it had several notes in it about the book as well. The muggles had people like this everywhere and went to school for it. The wizardly world didn't. I had looked up everything there was about it but the only thing that came close to it was the healers at the hospital. Which they normally never dealt with the war clients.

I had asked Andromeda about it since she was at the hospital lately. She had said that since the patient's left as soon as they were healed they couldn't very well ask them to stay and chat. Plus it wasn't something they had gone to school to learn about. The wars before hadn't had many imperious and crucio survivors to make a ward. Most had died or just never dealt with it. Unliked Neville's parents who were still in a coma for what Bellatrix had done to them.

I planned to become a therapist for the war victims. Regardless if they had been on the other side of the war. I had learned earlier on from my mother that I was suffering from PTSD as well as Harry and Ron. She had wanted me to talk to one in the muggle world but I had argued that I couldn't just walk in to talk to a random muggle about a war that they didn't know about.

Waiting for myself to heal wasn't an option. Maybe helping others I could help myself in the process.

\/\/\/

Hey, guys! No, I didn't abandon this story. I don't plan to. I had to send my computer for updates since I had been using windows 8 still….embarrassing I know.

Feedback is welcomed as always. Hope you like this chapter. Already have the next one halfway done. Don't worry, it's not going to be angst all the time but it IS after a war in which many people died. I have many things planned for this story so stick around ay.

Vane


	7. Chapter 7

She is the creator of this world we find ourselves playing in. J.K Rowling

\/\/\/

Chapter 7

(A month Later)

Sitting outside on the porch swing facing the river as the rain fell in gentle drops. I had an open book on my lap as well as several pieces of parchment next to me. It was cold outside but the warming charms I had surrounding the porch helped keep me warm. Mum was cooking up a feast inside since Harry, Ginny, and Ron was coming over for dinner. Remus was already here with Teddy, both who were trying to steal mom's cookies.

Faintly hearing Teddy laughing I turned back to my book. It was filled with notes and dog-eared so much that I almost used magic so that it would make it perfect again. I never did that to books I owned or borrowed but it had been given to me like that so I left it that way.

I would soon start talking to two people. Neville and Lavender had been the first to agree. I have spoken with several of the people in the D.A and other adults. Many had said no at first. But I slowly swayed them to at least hear me out and try it. It wasn't something I wanted to force on them but I did think many of them needed it.

Harry and Ron were the one's that I didn't think I could help. I already knew what was wrong with them. I was there for more than half of the things that hunt them. Harry was filled with great sadness and guilt. Sad because of the many lives that had been lost and guilt because he thought it had all been his fault. He dealt with it by overworking himself and never being home to Ginny.

Ron was different. He kept everything bottled up and acted like nothing had happened. He didn't like visiting home but he was always trying to make his mother forget. He didn't go to the shop anymore either. Bill dealt it along with Charlie who always came on the weekends. Lee Jordan stayed at the shop with his girlfriend Alice. Ron didn't mention it and we didn't either.

I could try helping them but I felt like if I did one thing wrong or said something wrong it would trigger them. I just didn't know if it would be a good or bad thing. I loved them and wanted them to be happy but I was part of the problem. They had always relied on me for everything and now that I wasn't with them as much…

They knew what I had wanted to do but they had only smiled and changed the topic. They knew it was wrong. I could only be there when things went to hell.

Getting up when I heard Ginny's voice through the open window. Leaving my things outside I went in to see Ginny holding a tray which smelled divine. "Hey, Ginny," I said as I moved over to her. She smiled brightly, "Hey, Mione, the guy's got held up by Kingsley but they will be here a bit later."

They must be talking about the last places on that were on the list of properties and hideouts I had given them. Harry had lost it that day as well as Ron. I had kept my visit to the Malfoy Manor from them and they hadn't liked it. It had been one of the times that Ron hadn't held in his anger and yelled at me. It had reminded me of the time he had left us in the Forest of Dean. I think it had reminded them too since it had dampened their anger towards me.

Ron had apologized but left my house right after and came back the next day with some flowers. I hadn't wanted to bring it up but I really should have.

Ginny passed the tray of food to Remus who had already been sniffing at it. Teddy, who was strapped to Remus's back, had a bit of crumbs on his hands. He must have been munching the cookie since the said cookie was in small mushy clumps around his romper. He had been teething this past couple of weeks and wanted to chew everything. Remus had come over one night with a crying Teddy. He hadn't known what had been wrong and just handed me the toddler.

I had floo called Poppy when my mother had told me he was teething but we didn't know if the muggle way would help him better than the wizardly way. Poppy had brought over several things. A potion took once a week to relieve the pain and a toy that cooled his gums anytime he tried biting down on it. My mother had made a comment about how it would have helped her with me as a baby.

Remus had already taken the tray into the kitchen when Ginny spoke, "He didn't come home last night. He fell asleep on the sofa in his office."

"Oh, Ginny, I told him to stop doing that," I said as I leaned back against the wall. Ginny sighed as she took off her coat. "I know. He told me that. At first, I got angry about it and almost hexed him. He does it less often now but I feel kind of left out you know. I know you three are always together and not I see it more clearly as to why. But it doesn't make it hurt any less."

"Ginny, just do what you have always done. Love him, but don't let him make you unhappy. Let him know that he's hurting you with what he's doing. He's an idiot but so is your brother. It took me a while to realize that they need a little bit more effort than most guys. Especially since the war."

She did smile then, "I know. I just wanted to nag for a bit. I love working with Madam Hooch and the first years. There weren't many kids actually so I know many of them personally. Gwenog Jones has sent me many offers to play as a chaser for her team. But I don't think I'm ready yet. I asked her to let me think about a while longer. I love quidditch but right now Harry needs me more. I know what you're going to say. No boy is worth halting your life but I really want to be here for him. I need him too. Losing three brothers...I need him."

"I know. Just don't wait too long." I said as I led her into the kitchen. Mum was setting the plates of food on the table while Remus was trying to get Teddy into his high chair. Ginny went over to help him. I was about to help my mother set the dishes when I heard the floo open. Leaving them in the kitchen, I went back into the living room to see Harry dusting off powder and Ron stepping in.

"How did it go?" I asked as I took their coats off. "We searched Carrow's old family home near Wales but it was in shambles. It wasn't somewhere they could hide without it just coming down to them. We don't think they have been there in a long time. We still put upwards and such just case they did come back." Nodding I moved over to Ron who had dark look on his face. "Ron."

He looked over at me but didn't answer. "What's wrong?" I asked. He shook his head, "Nothing Mione. I'm just tired." I rubbed his arm, "How's Molly?" He shrugged, "Mum is hanging on by a thread. I don't know what to do anymore. Bill tries to talk to her. Pa is working hard as well so he isn't home as much. He tries to be around her but it's like they can't be in the same room together because mum cries."

Harry came over to our side as he slipped his arm around my shoulders. "Maybe your mother could go see Molly? They both lost somebody so they might be able to talk things through?" Harry said as he rubbed his thumb back and forth on my shoulder. "I'll talk to mum about it later," I said as I pulled Ron closer to us for a bit.

Pulling away after making sure they were fine I tugged them towards the kitchen an unfamiliar patronus came in through the opened window. It was a large mastiff and when it spoke; a familiar voice rang out, "The Malfoy's have been attacked. I have taken them and Nott to Spinner's End." Snape's voice said before the mastiff disappeared. Harry turned back around to put his coat on while Ron left through the floo without taking his own coat. I didn't comment on the fact that Snape's patronus had changed from the gentle doe it had been to a large mastiff.

I turned to my mother who had walked in with the Remus. Ginny must have stayed in the kitchen with Teddy. "I'm going to go with them okay. Stay here with Ginny while we go check it out." Mother nodded as she tightens her grip on the wooden spoon in her hands, "Be safe." Remus left first through the floo to follow Ron while Harry grabbed my hand. "I know where his at. I went there to see him after he was released from the hospital. Hold on tight."

With a loud crack, we landed in a deserted street filled with large brick buildings that were cramped together. The streets were lonely with no soul about. The street was dark and smelled awful. The rain made it hard to see further down the street. Harry let go of my hand and headed straight between the two buildings in front of us. Passing it and into another block that looked just like the one before. "It's this one," Harry said as he pointed to the one to the left. There wasn't a light on the outside but you could see a slight glow in the window next to the door.

We walked over to it and Harry opened the door. I had my back to him to watch the street in case whoever attacked them hadn't followed them. I heard Harry talking to Snape asking what had happened. I looked once more at the deserted street before going inside and closing the door.

"They broke through most of the wards in the house before we realized that we were under attack. Nott had checked through an upstairs window and saw Yaxley and Dolohov trying to get in. He didn't see anybody else but it looked like two other had been with them." Snape said.

"Ron already went ahead to let Kingsley know and he will let us know where to go from here. I'm sure they headed to the manor to check if they are still there." Harry said as he walked over to the window to see through the dirty window. I looked around the room as we waited to receive word from Ron. Malfoy and his mother were on the side talking quietly while Nott was standing a little to the side with his wand out. He was staring at me but nothing shone in his eyes except a bit of frustration. Malfoy got up and moved over to Nott's side. He whispered something in his ear as he glanced over at me. Malfoy was in a business suit and also had his wand.

They must have been dealing with the family business today. Malfoy looked away from me and to the door. His shoulders were still a bit hunched like before but he didn't say anything to me. Harry was still staring outside when Ron's patronus entered the room. "Meet us at Mione's since Remus went back there. Kingsley is already there. We'll explain the situation there." Ron's voice rang out with a hint of anger in it. He wasn't happy that we were bringing them to my house. I sort of wasn't either. I didn't want them there but it wasn't like we could stay here either. They might know where Snape used to live at.

"Hermione?" Harry asked with a frown on his face. Everybody had automatically looked over at me when Ron had mentioned meeting back at my house. "Let's go. I'll take Nott and Malfoy with me. Apparate outside near the willow tree." Harry stared at me for a moment longer before nodding. He moved over to Snape and Narcissa. "Hold on," he said as he held both arms to both adults. He winced a bit when both of them touched him but otherwise acted like it was normal. With a loud crack, they left me alone with two boys who had once hated me. I turned to them and offered my arms to them. Malfoy looked down at my arm. The same arm his aunt had marked. I raised the sleeve of my jumper.

He stared intently at it. "I still have nightmares of it. Some days it feels like she was still torturing me. Other days I forget it's there." The ugly word was deep in my skin. It looked like a tattoo that had been done on me by cutting it out and pouring ink on it. It did hurt now and then. He grabbed my marked arm slowly. "Does it hurt now?" I looked up into his eyes, "Not right now."

Malfoy nodded as he pulled the sleeve down, "I'm sorry for the intrusion." I only shrugged at him. Looking over at Nott who had moved to my other side and gently grabbed my arm. He wouldn't look at me as he did so but he did still have his wand fisted in his other hand. I tried not acknowledge the fact that I was letting them touch me. I hadn't winced, cringed or even stopped them like I would have it had been anybody else. Pushing that thought away I apparated us by the willow tree that was leaning out into the river. It was in clear view of the house but when it was green it's heavy branches it shrouded the inside making it a private hideout that I liked coming to.

Harry walked over to me as soon as we appeared and grabbed my arm. Not too gently might I add. Nott had let go instantly while Malfoy slowly lets go. "Are you okay?" I frowned, "I'm fine Harry. We just talked a for a bit." Harry closed his eyes for a moment before letting me go. "Alright, sorry." I lifted my hand to his face, "I'm fine, Harry." The rain had stopped so I could look up at his face without fear of rain getting in my eyes.

He gave small smile before turning to towards the house. I walked beside him as the others followed us. Harry grabbed my hand and pulled me close to him. "Sorry for overreacting to that. I kind of almost lost it when you didn't arrive right after a while." I smacked him, "I was only talking to them. Malfoy asked me about something. We did not take that long. Bloody hell, Harry, it was just a few minutes." I reproached him.

Harry smiled, "I know, I know." We walked up the stairs to the back porch just as the door swung open. Mum walked out with Ginny right behind her. Harry walked over to his Ginny who held out her arms. Looking away from them I turned towards my mother as she walked over to me. "We brought some guest mom." She looked behind me at Snape, Nott and the Malfoys. She held out her hand to Snape. "Welcome, I'm Termaine Granger."

Snape accepted her hand, "I'm Severus Snape. I was Hermione's teacher in Hogwarts." My mother stared hard at him for a moment. She was still holding his hand when she gasped and blushed a deep red, "I'm sorry! Oh, yes, she did tell me about you. Thank you for looking after her." Snape was still staring down at their hands with a slight frown on his face. Mother let go of his hand as she moved on to Narcissa. I walked into the house as my mother welcomed the 'guest' in. Kingsley was standing by the fireplace with Ron and Remus. Amelia Bones was here as well, she was standing by the kitchen door and looking down at some pieces of parchment in her hands.

Once everybody was in inside Kingsley went ahead and told us that they had gotten to the manor right in time to see Dolohov and the others still trying to break in. They had scattered as soon as they had heard others apparate in. Bones had almost gotten Goyle, who had been there too but he had apparated instantly.

"We don't think it's safe for you to go back there. Even if Severus can protect you three. They might bring more people with them next time. We set wards for now so that we'll know if they try anything." Kingsley said as he gave Snape and others a leveled look.

Amelia spoke up next, "We would take you to a safe house but most of them have been destroyed or are otherwise occupied." She turned to look at me. I knew what she was going to say before she even said it.

"If they could stay with you for a bit until we find another place to take them to we would appreciate it." My mother cut in before we I could say anything. "I don't mind and we do have two guest rooms available." I didn't turn to look at anybody since I knew many eyes were on me. Especially Nott's and Malfoy's. If I agreed they would stay here. Live here. I would have to see them on daily bases. I could say that Harry had a lot of room or that they could send them to Shell Cottage but all that left my mouth was, "I don't see a problem with that."

What have I gotten myself into?

\/\/\/

Sorry for the late update. I made it a bit longer so I hope you enjoy it.

Feedback is most welcomed. Let me know what you think.

Guess who I'm going to pair Severus with? Or Remus with?

Vane


	8. Chapter 8

J.K Rowling is the only owner. I just want to explore the world she created for us.

\/\/\/

Chapter 8

(Dec.5.1998)

Kingsley left with Amelia after expanding one of the guest rooms to accommodate the 'guest'. I had helped only when Harry let it slip that I was very good at that particular spell. The guest room next to my mother would be for Narcissa only, while the room that used to have Teddy's things would be used for all three men. Kingsley had made the beds look almost like the beds in Hogwarts. Since all three of the men were a bit taller than your average guy he had to expand the room for all three large beds.

Mum had been concerned about Snape sharing a room with the younger men. Snape had said that it was fine.

We had all moved to the kitchen where mum was talking quietly with Ginny. Ron had left saying he would go to the Burrow but we didn't actually think he was heading there. Only Harry, Ginny and Remus had stayed. Teddy was taking a nap in the living room while we all moved towards the kitchen to eat dinner. The 'guest' had said that they weren't hungry but mum had insisted.

After transfiguring some extra chairs and expanding the table did we all sit-down. Harry sat next to Ginny since Nott and Malfoy had taken the seats one either side of me while my mum sat between Remus and Snape. Narcissa by Snape's side.

I served myself some veggie soup first since nobody was reaching for the food. Mum followed then Remus. Harry just sipped some wine while Ginny was trying to get him to eat actual food. Nott didn't reach for anything while Malfoy was staring outside the window.

Mum made a plate for Snape and Narcissa since neither one had served themselves. I wanted to tell her that they had hands and could serve themselves but I didn't want to start anything. I turned to Malfoy and offered him some wine.

"Wine, Malfoy?"

He turned to look down on me with a bit of surprise on his face. It didn't last long before his eyes turned flat. He knew how to use occlumency. Of course, he did; Snape probably taught him.

He tipped his head to the side towards his empty glass. I poured in a generous amount and was about to set it down when somebody's hand stopped me.

Nott's hand was noticeably bigger than mine. Almost too big.

I passed him the bottle as I looked down at our hands which had skimmed against each other in the passing. Looking down at the plate, I tried to eat the food but the two men on either side of me barely even moved their own forks. We all ate in silence with the occasional whisper here and there. I didn't talk except for answering a question or two made by Ginny and mum.

Harry excused himself not long after with Ginny and Remus. The others left but Harry stopped near the kitchen door.

"Hermione."

I pushed my chair back and walked over to him. I felt several eyes on me as I slid into Harry's arms. He pulled me out of the kitchen completely. "I would stay longer but I can't," he said as he rubbed his hand up and down my back. I snuggled a bit closer to his chest.

"I know, Harry. So don't try to apologize for it." I understood too well. The same reason that Ron hadn't been able to stay earlier. He knew that they hadn't been personally responsible for the deaths of Percy, George, and Fred. Yet he couldn't actually be civil. Not yet. Not to THEM.

"Let me know if you feel uncomfortable with them here. I can always move them to another place even if I have to buy it myself," he said. I smiled as I pulled away from.

"I probably won't be alone with just them all the time. Mum is here with me and I'm sure Remus will be here too since he's always eating dinner here. Plus Neville is coming sometime this week. My first unofficial patient that is. After him, Lavender will come too."

Harry nodded, "I know. I just worry. Ron will probably want to talk to you later. I'll see you later, Mione."

Once he left I turned back around to head into the kitchen. Mum was near the sink while Snape helped pick up the plates. Narcissa excused herself and went up to her room.

Mum turned her head a bit to look at me. She stared at me and nodded towards the two men who were still sitting down. I knew she wanted for me to talk to them.

She knew about Malfoy since I had told her that he had called me a mudblood when we were children but she also knew that he had stopped bullying me as we got older. It was true. As soon as the war had escalated anything to do with house prejudice and school, in general, had meant nothing. I had been too busy surviving as well as the others.

Malfoy suddenly got up from the chair and moved over to my mother. My hand twitched towards my wand but I reined in the urge. Mum stopped washing the dishes and turned to face him. He had his head bowed and his arms down to his side. "I wanted to apologize for what I did to your daughter. I was raised to hate anybody that wasn't a pureblood. Especially muggleborns, she was the one that made me realize that my parents had been wrong. That HE had been wrong," he looked at my mom for a second before looking back down,"I'm sorry."

Mum was looking at him with a thoughtful gaze before she raised her arm slowly to his face. She lifted his face so that he would meet her eyes. She was shorter than him but whenever an adult did that to you…

"It's okay. I forgive you for it all. So does she. You learned from the mistakes you have made and that is all that matters. Just remember that understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery. I truly think that you're on the way to the latter." With those parting words, mum left the kitchen. Snape had been staring at my mother as she had spoken and followed after her.

That left me in the room with the Nott and Malfoy. I walked over to the window and closed it. I turned around and noticed right away that Nott had moved closer to me without making a sound. He was staring at me silently while Malfoy moved over to him. Having them both together in one room and by ourselves was a bit unnerving.

"Thank you for letting us stay." Nott's voice filled the room. He was tall, a bit taller than Malfoy, so I had to look up at him whenever he spoke. Just like right now. "It's fine. My mother offered and I didn't see anything wrong with it." At least not to the point where I wanted to voice my discomfort.

I didn't know what to say to them. I knew Malfoy but I didn't know Nott. I leaned back against the counter to stare at them. Malfoy looked at me for second but didn't hold my gaze for long. Unlike Malfoy, Nott had no problem holding his own against mine.

"How well do you know how to fight?" I asked them. Nott's gaze becomes more piercing while Malfoy straightens up a bit. Malfoy gave me perturbed look, "We both were taught by watching others. My father gave me a few lesson but I'm sure that many of those spells can't be used." He swallowed hard as he gazes passed me. His gaze became unfocused and he started to shiver somewhat hard.

I swallowed a curse and walked towards him. He was trapped in the past and his eyes become glazed over. I knew that look. I had seen it before on Ron and Harry to know what was coming next.

I caught him just as his legs buckled. I had thought I could handle his weight but he was HEAVY! Struggling to keep us both from falling I felt somebody grabbed him from behind. Nott just lifted him slightly, making it look easy, and carried him into the living room.

Grabbing a towel from the drawer and bowl on my way to the living room and seeing Nott arrange Malfoy on the couch next to the window. Pointing my wand at the bowl I sat near the couch, I whispered, "Aguamenti" and waited for it to fill up before running the towel through the water. Wringing it for a bit before placing it on Malfoy's forehead. He had closed his eyes and was biting his lip rather hard. His hands were clenched tightly while he held his body tautly.

Nott was standing by the window. He wasn't looking at us but outside into the rainy night as his jaw was ticked. He slid his fisted hands into his trouser pockets when he caught me looking at him through the reflection on the window.

I accio-'d my purse from my room and my purse came flying towards me. I frowned since I remember closing my door but I guess I must have left it open. Pulling out a two calming draught potions, I hesitated for a bit before sliding my hand under his head and lifted him up a bit.

Tipping both contents into his mouth I waited until he swallowed the last one before sliding my hand out from underneath his head. His hair felt soft to the touch, which surprised me, to say the least.

Malfoy still had his eyes closed but was breathing easier now. I rewet the towel and patted away the towel. I probably could have cleaned him up with a spell or two but I didn't think he would feel comfortable if I had. He opened eyes briefly before shutting them again. "You didn't have to do that," he said as he lifted his arm to cover his face.

Putting away the empty phials I looked over at Nott again before answering him, "I would have done it for anybody else. So it's nothing." I was about to get up when I felt him gently lay his hand on my wrist. Turning slightly to look at him I raised one eyebrow, "What?" He looked down at his wrist than at me, "It matters to me. I just wanted to say thank you." I nodded and stood up. He removed his hand as he stood up too. We were standing a bit too close.

I could feel the heat from his body and I was sure he could also feel mine. I still didn't want to acknowledge that I had touched him and in return let him touch me. I hadn't flinched like I would have with anybody else. I hadn't avoided his touch or Nott's either.

Nott had turned around to watch us both silently from the window. His voice sounded a bit strained when he said, "We both have been taught many things. We learned the hard way but there isn't any need to be taught once again. Severus has been teaching us other things these past few months."

He walked passed us as he headed upstairs. His arms rubbed mine for a bit, his scent washing over me as he did so. For a moment I had been trapped between both of them and I hadn't wanted them to move away from me. I felt a little flustered and weirded out by my own feelings. I scowled as he disappeared up the stairs.

I didn't like the way it made me feel. Saying a quick goodnight to Malfoy, I walked upstairs. I could feel his gaze on me till I disappeared from sight.

Walking to my door I notice that it was opened just a bit and a soft glow was coming from inside. Opening it fully I saw my mother sleeping on my bed. She was clutching something in her hand. Closing the door gently as not to wake her, I took off my shoes before joining her on the bed. She was facing me and had the necklace my father had given her for their tenth anniversary in her hands. It contained a picture of me as a baby one one side and a picture of them two when they had graduated from college.

My father had died a week before the battle. I had been ready to go look for them when my mum had turned up at our old house. I had gone home to pick up a couple of things and head to Australia but had been shocked when I had opened the door to the house. My mother had been sitting at the bottom of the stairs.

She had gotten up and slapped me across the face.

Seconds later with my face still stinging, she had fallen into my arms crying. She had chanted my name over and over again with anguished cries filling the air around us. I hadn't understood why she had been crying. I had looked around her expecting to see my father's loving face appear since the sounds of my mum's cries should have alerted him to the fact that somebody had distressed his wife.

When he hadn't appeared I had pushed my mum away and the look her eyes had been answering enough. They had been filled with so much despair and pain. I still had asked, "Where's father?" She had quieted down, tears ran down her face as she answered, "His dead. He's gone, Hermione."

Those words had destroyed my world like nothing else could have. I had always been a daddy's girl. I had fainted and had woken up in Grimland place. Harry had been laying next to me on the bed and had woken up when he felt my shift on the bed. I had broken down in his arms.

Later that day my mother had explained that a father had fallen ill around April and he had remembered everything two weeks before he had died. He had known that his wife hadn't remembered and had kept quiet about it. He had sent a private detective who had actually been a squib and had known who I was and what I had been up to.

He had asked father why he wanted to know about me and father had told him that he was that "child's" father. The squib had then told him everything. From being the number two most wanted person in the England to not attending school and missing. Father had been so shocked he had forgotten his anger and instead asked to be kept updated on anything that had to do with me.

Mother had been kept in the dark until the last hour before his death in which he had left recordings and a locket for her. The passing of father had broken mother but had also broken the spell I had cast upon her. The rush of memories had set her in the hospital for two whole days. When she came around she had arranged many things and one of them had been to bring his body back to Britain and have him buried in a graveyard near the 'old' house.

She had stayed at the house for a while until I came upon her that fateful day. The locket my father had left for me was kept in a box full of memories that I had saved. It was filled with stuff only my father had given since mum tended to buy clothes and such for me.

Sometimes I wondered if my father had ever forgiven me for erasing myself from his memories. For making him forget that he had a child who he had loved so much.

\/\/\/

I used a quote from Rowling's herself- "Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery." I felt like the quote spoke to everybody on either side of the war.

Sorry for the late update. I'm trying to understand this 'new' updates on the computer but alas I don't know much about technology. Done with the next chapter so it will be up shortly.

Vane


	9. Chapter 9

J.K Rowlings is the one and only owner. Nuff said.

\/\/\/

Chapter 9

(Couple of days later)

"It tastes good."

"Um..no thank you."

"Really, you should try it."

"Mother, try it. It's good."

"Alright, Thank you."

I was listening to my mother who was trying to convince Narcissa to try the banana ships she had made earlier. Malfoy had tried them and had stayed near them this whole time. Nott was outside near the riverbank reading a book that I had lent him. Snape had gone with Kingsley and Remus while Teddy stayed with his grandma.

Currently, mum had been trying to get friendly with Narcissa, who had wanted to stay in her room all day, and was now getting her to eat something. I was waiting on Neville to get here any second.

I had transformed the shed that was near the willow tree into a makeshift room for the people I was going to 'talk' to since I didn't think they would want to do it in a bedroom near other people. I had expanded it on the inside just like the tent I had stayed in with the boys when we had been on the run. It was comfortable with a large window showing the willow tree outside.

The floo opened and Neville stepped in. He had grown even taller in the past two months since the battle. He was almost as tall as Snape and Nott. He was still living with his grandmother. They had his parents brought home since they didn't want them to stay in the hospital. Neville had started to work under one of the healers that had been taking care of his parents so that he could take over. They hadn't asked him to return to Hogwarts so now he was an apprentice healer for now.

"Hermione," he said as he grabbed me up into his arms. I had always liked Neville. He never had anything mean to say about anybody. "Hey, Nev," I said as I tried really hard not to pull away. Even if I did feel safe with him I really just wanted to shove him away.

He let go of me and I saw him stiffen a bit. I turned around to see Malfoy standing near the kitchen door. He was staring at both of us. He nodded once and walked outside towards Nott. "I had forgotten that they were living here now," Neville said as he handed me the paper bag to me. I had asked him to give me monthly reports on his parents so I could send them to Viktor. Neville didn't know exactly why I was asking for them and I didn't want to raise false hope for him.

We passed by the kitchen where Mum waved at him while Narcissa just nodded at us. We headed outside and saw Nott reading against a tree while Malfoy skipped rocks on the water.

It was one of those rare days where it wasn't raining and also wasn't cloudy. It was cold but not unbearably so.

Nott put his book down to stare at us. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. His face was so blank, he let no emotion show on his face. And yet for some reason…

I looked away and opened the door to the Shed as I waved for Neville to go in first. He stepped through and I followed him in. Before I closed the door I saw Malfoy stop mid throw and turn to look at me. His face was also empty of any emotion. I swallowed hard and closed the door.

Turning around I went over to the large armchair near the window and he sat down grandfather chair against the wall. The room was big enough for several chairs, table, and a large shelf with books and two boxes containing potions.

"I honestly didn't need to talk about anything. I just felt like I need to say something once to somebody." Neville said as he crossed one leg onto the other. He stared down at his hands as he gathered his thoughts together.

I waited for him as I leaned back against the armchair and looked out the window. I couldn't see Nott nor Malfoy from here but I could faintly hear the sound of water splashing and low voices talking.

"I think I mostly agreed to this since most of them hadn't wanted to talk to you. I did that at Hogwarts, you know, during the past year. It was hard for us who had been forced to attend school. We had to use unforgivable on the younger ones or be tortured for not doing so. The first time it had happened was during the first class of the year where everybody was forced to attend. We were told meet in the Great Hall, everybody from every year. Seventh and Sixth years on one side and Fifth and Fourth years on the opposite side. The younger ones in the middle." he said as he brought his hands to his face.

He rubbed his eyes for a bit before continuing, "The Carrows were the new 'teachers' for two subjects but all they wanted us to do was use unforgivable curses and Dark magic in general. Nothing to do with the subject. They had ordered us to use Imperio on the younger students. Crabbe and Goyle didn't hesitate in doing so. Most of the Slytherin's did it and some Ravenclaws too. Those who didn't obey would be cursed at by the Carrow's themselves."

My heart was pounding faster and harder to the point where it became hard to breath. I looked past him to the wall as I pictured the gruesome scene in my head. They had suffered as well. I had always thought that they had it easier than the ones on the outside. How wrong I had been. Poor Ginny and Neville. They had been forced to endure it all while we had been away.

"I refused every time and after a while, they didn't ask and just tortured me and Ginny on the spot," he sighed as he shifted in his chair, "I fought back but it only landed me in detention with them. I tried saving any student I saw but it was hard with the Slytherins at our backs. That's when we started using the Room of Requirement. After a while, nobody wanted to leave the room. Malfoy, Parkinson, Nott, Greengrass, and Zabini hadn't done anything since they were never around. I honestly didn't see them half of the time so I can't be sure if they had done anything."

I didn't realize that I had been holding my breath when he mentioned both Malfoy and Nott but I slowly breathed in.

"What was the worst thing you saw?" I asked as I waved my wand over the tea set in front of me. I normally didn't drink tea unless it was Earl Grey but I felt like in this cold weather and situation one would like something warm. I had seen Neville eat many sweets at Hogwarts so I could only assume he would like his tea sweet.

The tea prepared I handed him the cup as I waited for mine. He murmured, "Thank you," as he gave it a tentative taste. His eyes widened as he swallowed, "It's really sweet. I didn't think you'd know how I liked it."

Smiling as I raised my cup up to my face as I let the warm aroma of the tea hit my face, "I know many things, Neville. The perks to people not noticing me since I'm a bit plain. People notice the beautiful first so that leaves me with time to read them. I found out many things from all the people around me. Of course, now isn't' the same since I'm 'famous' or whatever. But before all this, I had been able to observe many people especially when I was reading a 'book. I would be reading but I could hear everything like a low buzzing sound in the background."

His eyes became rounder before releasing a loud laugh, "We can't hide anything from you, can we? You're not plain, Hermione, I always thought that you were very pretty. Especially your hair. It was always bouncing all over the place but it was wild in its own way. I actually had a crush on you third year and even fourth year"

I gasped, "No way!"

He laughed at my surprised face, "Yeah, I did. I was going to ask you to the Yule Ball but I figured that Harry or Ron would ask you first. That's why nobody wanted to ask you. Everybody just assumed that one of them would take you."

His smile slowly faded as he remembered my previous question, "Back to the original topic, the worst thing I saw was…"

\/\/\/

After taking Neville back inside so that he could floo home I went upstairs to my room to expand my bed since the full moon was tonight and Teddy was staying over. I cleaned up a bit before heading back downstairs. I slipped my jumper off and laid on the couch leaving me in Harry's torn shirt. I had kept many of Harry's and Ron's shirts since I had stashed a good amount of them in my beaded bag during the time we had been on the run.

I walked into the kitchen to see all three men helping my mother cook. For a moment I thought I was dreaming but I pinched myself.

"I have this, you go over there and cut the chicken. Theo, dear, you're going to break the bowl if you do it any harder"

"Sorry."

"Mrs. Granger, I do believe that the mash-"

"It's fine, just do it this way."

I gaped at my mother for the way she was talking to the men. Nott was staring hard at the rice he was mixing but otherwise didn't show much emotion. Malfoy was a little hesitant to touch anything as he stood by mum. She was telling him to cut more vegetables so that Nott could mix them in. Snape was smashing more potatoes but was silent and stiff as he did so.

"She knows how to handle them." Narcissa's voice said from behind me. I almost turned around and cursed her but I controlled the urge to do so and turned around calmly. She was standing by the shelf on the wall and was inspecting the books there.

Half of those books were muggle writers and some were just old Hogwarts books. Narcissa raised her hand and pulled out the book "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" by John Le Carre. It was an old spy novel my father used to love. She looked down at the battered book.

She put it back and was about to speak when the floo opened. Remus came in with Teddy fast asleep in his arms. "Hey, mione- Mrs. Malfoy. Hello," he said somewhat awkwardly. Teddy stirred for a bit before fully waking up. He noticed his father first and smacked his chubby hand on his father cheek.

I smiled as Narcissa gasped softly. Remus just laughed out loud. "Little Bugger keeps remembering that I didn't give him some candy earlier so he smacks me every chance he gets."

Teddy was about to smack him again when he stopped and whipped his little head around. He opened his mouth and squealed when he saw me. He raised his small hands towards me. A warm feeling filled my body at his childish display of affection. I could never deny him anything. I walked over and grabbed the child before he slipped from his father's arms.

"Hey, handsome baby," I said as I nuzzled him. Remus stepped back into the floo so that Teddy wouldn't see him leave. Sometimes Teddy would throw a tantrum when his father would leave so now he tried leaving when he was distracted.

I turned around when I heard Narcissa come up behind me. Teddy was blowing bubbles and making random noises. He stopped when he saw Narcissa approaching. She stopped a couple of feet away from me. I looked past her to see Malfoy walking up behind his mother.

Teddy changed his hair color to match Narcissa's, with black on top and white blond on the bottom. He looked like a dalmatian. Malfoy leaned around his mother to stare at Teddy.

"He's a metamorphmagus, isn't he? Just like.."

"Like his mother was. He got that from him, mother. Although we haven't seen him change his features yet." I said. Malfoy just looked at Teddy before looking away with but not before I saw the guilt shadowing his eyes. Narcissa wrung her hands for a bit before holding them out. "May I?"

I tried not to let the surprise show on my face as I slowly handed the child to her. Teddy went willingly as he started up at her. I knew that she didn't talk to her sister but looking at her holding Teddy it gave me hope that one day this cold woman would open up her heart to her only living sister.

Everybody had the ability to change, I thought, as I looked at Narcissa than at Malfoy who had turned back to the kitchen, they just had to really want it.

\/\/\/

It's short but the next one is longer and a bit darker. I will be speeding things up after the next chapter. I might also start a drabble story since I have many ideas and just little moments I want to write about. Still not sure about it but I thought I should say something first.

Vane


	10. Chapter 10

J.K Rowling owns. Was it ever in question?

\/\/\/

Chapter 10

(Dec.1998)

"Did they catch them at all? They have been seeing so many times and yet nobody can seem to catch them. I think we need everybody working around the clock or at least in shifts. They have been seen in the muggle black market and only because of the news that came out in the muggle media." Harry said as he ran frustrated hands through his hair. They had been trying to get them for months now and yet they had only been able to glimpse said Death Eaters. They knew that Goyle was working with them now since they had absolute proof.

He hadn't shown up at the Auror HQ since they sent out an owl asking to meet or else. Snape had gone with them searching as well but it seemed futile. They were either one step ahead of them or not there at all.

We were currently in the living room of my home while mum was in the kitchen with Narcissa. I was weary leaving mum with her; even if it was just in the other room.

Leaning back in the armchair, I looked down at my fingers. I really didn't want to but they needed me. Harry paused in his rant while Ron walked up behind me and rubbed my tense shoulders. Harry was staring at me with a bit of caution since he knew me being quiet was never a good thing.

"I think I'm going to have to help you all. I have some ideas but you definitely won't like them. But I also want to live without fear of being hunted or being confined in my own home." I said as I stood up from the armchair. I had already been helping but not directly. Saying it out loud changed nothing.

Harry shot to his feet as he caged me in from behind. Ron was already in front of me and shaking his head. "No, Hermione, we can't let you," Ron said softly while he grabbed my wrist. His eyes held a muted pain so deep I had to look away. A bit of anger bubbled up inside of me when he said 'let me' but I brushed it aside.

Harry slipped an arm around my waist as I leaned back against him. "You don't think I fear for your safety too? That I lay home at night thinking of the missions you're on and if you will come back unharmed much less alive?" I said as I snuggled into both of their chests.

Ron was about to say something when I felt him stiffen and back away from us. I looked at the large mirror on the wall which showed me what had him pulling away from me. Nott had come in with Malfoy and both were staring us three.

I stepped away from Harry and turned slightly so that I was facing all four men. I didn't know what to say. I felt weird all of a sudden as I watched all four of them. The two pairs were so different from one another I knew they would probably never get along and yet…

Ron pulled my hair slightly from behind, "I'm heading back to work. I'll let Kingsley know about what you said." Harry nodded as well as he moved towards the floo, "I'll let you know when we're going on the next mission." Ron stepped through without a backward glance while Harry nodded towards them before leaving.

I was going to head upstairs to change out of my jams when Malfoy spoke up, "So you're going to go on missions now?" I stiffened up at his tone which was a bit flat and mixed with something I didn't want to name.

Walking over to them so that I was just a few feet between us I looked up into Malfoy's face, very aware of Notts burning gaze on me. "I am," I said as I looked into his cold gray.

"Granger-" I stopped Malfoy with my hand. "You might as well call me Hermione since you are living in my home."

Malfoy looked away from me and said, "Hermione, I do have a name as well." I gazed down at his hands which he fisted once before hiding them away in his pockets. Nott stepped up beside me, "I never did have a problem with you, Granger thought we weren't close either."

I nodded as I looked up a little higher too so that our eyes met. Brown to hazel-green. "I know. I always saw you alone in the library but it didn't look like you were lonely on purpose. I never went up to you since I hadn't known your view on the whole pureblood thing."

Malf-Draco became a bit stiffer as I said that and turned his body away from us. "I don't hate you, you know. I don't think I ever did. I just didn't like how you could judge me based on my blood alone." I said as I turned away from both of them. I could feel the body heat coming from them. I stopped near the stairs as I heard Malfoy say, "I didn't hate you either. I disliked you because you were the very thing my father told me to hate but only because of your blood. Over the years you changed my mind along with the other muggleborns. But you were far more than the other ones so I didn't know how to deal with it."

Nott cleared his voice, "I didn't feel much of anything. I knew who you were but not what you were like. I never hated you." I wanted to turn around and yell at Malfoy for being a coward and not standing up for himself but for Nott; I didn't have anything to say. I nodded and walked upstairs.

I spent most of the day in my room working on the list of residence that the Auror's had crossed out and went over several other things. I skipped lunch and jumped when a loud knocking filled my room. Putting down the files and pens I walked over to the door and opened it. Malf-Draco was standing there with a tray of food. He looked so out of place here.

Especially with him standing there holding a tray and in rumpled clothes. His hair was a little unkempt but that didn't make him look bad. He had on a soft ochre colored knitted sweater on with some slacks. Looking disheveled only added to his looks. Just because I hadn't been on his radar didn't mean he had never been on mine. No, we just had been on two different sides of the war and his lost in the end.

"Your mother sent me up with food since you skipped lunch," he said as looked down at the food, "She said to eat it all." I looked down at the tray, which had two cups of tea instead of one, it had sandwiches and dried grapes. I was guessing the extra cup meant inviting him in for a bit.

Opening the door fully I pointed to the table by the window which had two club chairs on either side. "I'll need to wash my hands so just sit down for now." I went into my bathroom to the side of my desk. I could hear him faintly walked over and put the tray down.

My blood ran cold for an instant before a flash of heat ran through my body knowing that he was in my room. I only ever had Harry or Ron in here by ourselves. Teddy didn't count.

Walking out of the bathroom to see Malfoy sitting on the chair and looking at the book that Poppy had given me. I had left it on the table this morning but had forgotten about it. I sat on the chair on other chair and grabbed a sandwich from the plate. Malfoy looked down at the plate but didn't chose any and instead went for the tea.

He sipped from it a little before putting it back down. I took a bite and stared outside into the rain. The sun was setting so it casting different shades of gray with hints of red and orange. I couldn't see much else since the trees blocked most of my view but it still looked serene.

I finished my sandwich and turned to look at Ma-Draco who I hadn't realized had been staring at me. I brushed away a few crumbs away before taking a sip of tea; all the while staring at him.

"I never really looked at you this close-up. You have of freckles," he stated as he brushed his hand across his own nose. It startles me as I brushed my own nose. I did have freckles but not many people ever commented on them aside from Harry and Ron.

"You have a scar on your forehead near your hairline," I said as I looked at his face closely for the first time. He looked startled for a minute, "I got that fourth year when I tried running away from Pansy. I ran into one of the armors near the dungeons."

That startled a laugh from me as I imagined him running from his girlfriend. He looked pleased for a second and almost smiled. I had wanted to ask why he had been running from her but stopped myself from asking.

"It feels kind of weird to sit here with you. I never thought I would ever be doing this with you." I said as pushed the tray with the leftover food on it to the side.

"I really am sorry. I still have nightmares of what I had seen and yet that day you were there keeps repeating over and over again." he leans forward with a frown on his face. His defenses going down as his emotions spilled forth. He ran his hands up and down his pant legs with a bit of frustration on his face.

I didn't know what to do as I sat there watching him show me more emotion than he had probably ever shown anybody else. I couldn't believe that he was doing it in front of me.

Especially me.

"Draco, listen to me okay. I don't blame you. I think I did right after it happened but you lied for us and I think that was enough. I still have nightmares too but they don't keep me up a night. I suffered far less than others have. I didn't lose a family member, I don't turn into a wolf once a month because Greyback decided to infect children, I didn't get captured for months and raped during that time. I think I was one of the luckier ones. Yes, I got hurt and I'm marked for life but others have it worse than me."

I looked into his wide gray eyes as he finally looked me in the eyes. He's shown with guilt and great sadness as he gazed back at me. I hadn't realized we were both leaning forward over the small table between us that I almost jumped back when I heard somebody tap at the door. Mal-Draco moved back slowly as he turned to look at the door. I pushed back a bit before I turned to see Nott by the door with a thick envelope in his hands.

"Something came in for you," Nott said as he stayed at the standing by the door. I got up and Draco did too with the tray in his hands. I walked over to Nott and grabbed the envelope. I couldn't help but look up into Nott's blank face for a second. He looked down at me with sharp eyes which looked down briefly before looking over my shoulder at Draco who walked by me and left the room without looking back.

Nott followed after him and I closed the door. My heart was thumping loudly in my chest and I felt a bit hot under the shirt I was wearing. Nott always looked directly into my eyes and if it were anybody else I wouldn't have a problem with it. But for some reason with him, I couldn't help but get a bit flustered. I hadn't wanted to acknowledge it but it was really hard not to.

I looked down at the envelope which I knew had come from Viktor since it had his familiar handwriting on the front of it. I had asked me to send me several lists of places that one could go that were similar to Knockturn Alley. Like the black market for wizards or if there were any wizards who were involved in the black market. I asked him previously if he had any connection to that part of the world.

Opening the package I found several lists of places you could go to and find such locations. There was a different file in it and I grinned. It was from Iskra. She had been the only female attending Durmstrang when she had attended and I had met here through Viktor months ago. We often met up when we could be since she was always traveling it was nearly impossible.

Her father Lazar Georgi was the headmaster for Durmstrang since Karkaroff had been killed. She had graduated two years after Viktor. I was the same age as her since I used the time turner for a whole year I aged a year so that put me at twenty just like her.

I opened her letter first since I hadn't written to her in over a month. Her letter wasn't personally to me but mostly stating she wanted to meet up in Diagon Alley and she would take me to the places Viktor had sent me since she had connections there.

Sitting down heavily on my desk chair I gripped the parchment tightly. I sometimes forgot that the school she had attended practiced dark magic and they didn't flinch away from the darker side of magic. Putting down her letter since I had to meet her in an hour I briefly looked at the list of places that Viktor had sent me and the potions he had shrunk as well.

Leaving them on the table I went into my closet as pulled out dark jeans and a black jumper I had just gotten from Ginny before getting out the dragonhide boots that Iskra had sent me for my birthday. I showered quickly and dressed within thirty minutes. Grabbing a leather purse which I transfigured into a hip bag and strapped the bottom of it to my thigh so nobody would try and steal it without me knowing. Stuffing several potions and adding muggle and wizard money as well.

Strapping my wand holster on my wrist for easy access I grabbed a cloak from the closet and walked down stairs as I french braided my hair.

Coming into the living room I saw Nott and Draco by the fireplace reading books while Narcissa and Mother were sitting on the couch discussing something serious by the looks of it.

Mum got up when she saw me and looked me up and down with a frown. "You missed dinner, honey." I smiled as I hugged her. "I know. I was busy doing some extra work so I lost track of time. I'm going to meet with Iskra for a late dinner since I haven't seen her in a while." As soon as I mentioned Iskra she smiled widely, "Oh, Iskra? Next time tell her to come here for dinner." Mother dotted on her since Iskra was the complete opposite of me. She was tall and fair skinned with no freckles. Straight black hair that was impossible to curl even with magic according to her.

Knowing where she had attended school and seeing her in person plus talking to her made your head spin in circles. She could be nice but flatten you in an instant if you talked down to her. She was always happy when she met my mum but cussed like a sailor out of hearing although mother had caught her several times.

I could feel the two separate gazes on me but I ignored them and walked over to the door. It was lightly drizzling but I didn't require a water repelling charm so I walked over to the willow tree and apparated to Diagon Alley.

I didn't look back at the house, but if I had looked back I would have seen the light turn on in my room.

\/\/\/

So...

Feedback is greatly appreciated. I hope you liked it and there is more to come. Here is a list of the people come close to looking like the characters in the story. Some are the same so if I didn't list them than they are still the same actors.

Francisco Lachowski as Theodore Nott

Kate Winslet as Termaine Granger

Dakota Fanning as Lavender Brown (had to change her)

Alexandra Daddario as Iskra Georgi

Vane


	11. Chapter 11

J.K Rowling owns it and not me. But...Iskra is mine. .

\/\/\/

Chapter 11

(Same day)

I walked into the shop I usually met up with Iskra but I didn't see her in it so I walked around and debated just heading home and waiting for her there after sending her a note with Soa. But before I could turn back I felt someone tap me from behind.

"Ello, Hemi." Iskra's jubilant voice filled my ears. I grinned and turned around to face her. She was a lot taller than me especially in those spiked heels of hers. She was smiling down at me as she ran her hands through her hair. I used to wish that I had straight hair but now I loved my hair.

"Iskra, beautiful as always," I said as I let her hook her arm through mine. She knew that I didn't like anybody touching me and yet she insisted since she said that it was the only way to get over my aversion of touch. She pulled down Diagon Alley and towards the small pub that we always went into.

We went up to the bar and ordered butterbeer. We sipped silently as we watched people come and go for a while. Iskra was silent which was unusual for somebody like her. We were meeting for something she could get arrested for here in Britain.

"How have you been?" she asked as she set her mug down. I looked down at my own drink for a bit and tried to answer as honestly as I could.

"I think I'm doing better. My nightmares aren't as bad anymore. I try not to occlude as much too but right now it's kind of hard not to. With the 'guest' staying at the house and having Harry and Ron there as well is kind of hard you know. They want to be near me but also can't."

Iskra nodded as she took another sip from her drink, "I guess as much. Those boys love you from what you've told me but I did think it would make them a bit more protective towards you." She met them once before and Ron hadn't liked her one bit. Which she thought was hilarious.

I sighed and changed the topic, "How have you been?" She laughed for a bit, "Old man has been trying to get me married for about three years now and he really wants me to marry Vik but I don't want to and neither does he. He still holds a torch for you. I, on the other hand, am a free woman and I will choose when and who I'll marry. The old coot's fourth wife is the one filling his head with rubbish."

Grimacing at her choice of words I pushed the empty mug away and leaned back on the bar counter facing the crowd. Friday's was usually busy but not today from the looks of it. "Hard life of a pureblood uh?" She shoved me and almost knocked me off the stool. I mocked scowled her as I sat back up.

"I'm a bit smaller than you. One of this days you will break me and you'll have to answer to my mother." I said as I put my nose in the air while trying to hide a smile. Iskra snorted and crossed her long legs, "You're mother loves me. She would just adopt me and act like you never existed."

We grew silent and the lack of words wasn't awkward but comfortable. She pulled a small piece of paper from her robes and handed it to me. "It's the same list that Viktor sent you but I added some notes on it myself and father did too. I might not get along with my father but he does love me in his own arrogant way. Plus he likes you even though you are a muggleborn." The word mudblood was left unsaid but I knew what she meant.

Her father approved of her relationship with me but he did believe in the old ways since he was a bit older than one would think.

Lazar Georgi was not a pleasant man but neither was he spiteful. He just knew what he believed in but didn't try shoving it in your face or wanted to you believe it as well. He called me a mudblood to my face the one time I did meet him and I had responded with a cheeky remark. He had not laughed but something in his eyes told me he found me amusing.

Looking over the list I realized that it was too many locations but we would probably only go to one of them today. "I think we should head to the one with the only wizards. I feel like they would be more open about stuff. I haven't said anything to Harry or Ron since I knew they would jump the chance and bring a lot of Auror's. Plus I don't want to put you on their radar. I wanted to take a look at them first and then send them on their way if we were sure."

Iskra ordered another butterbeer from the man behind the bar and gave him a coy look. Benji just shook his head and turned back to his work. He was used to Iskra flirting so he didn't take her serious.

She gave me a small smile, "If you think that's the way to go. Although, you should have left them a note with Termaine since anything can go wrong." she said darkly before wiping it away and smiling big at Benji, who had just passed by. I shrugged, "It will be fine for tonight. Plus I always can call them without much effort."

Putting money on the table, we headed outside and completely missed the man sitting further down the counter.

"I'll take you with me first so that you can get a look of where to apparate since you have to be careful. Noctis Market is kind of like Knockturn Alley but much darker. It's a place where things that shouldn't be sold are sold freely there and it's no place for light wizards." she said as she helped mask my features then hers.

If we were seen one had to be really close to even know who we were. Iskra looked down at me seriously, "Are you sure, Hemi?" I swallowed hard, "I don't have a choice." Not while they were on the loose.

She grabbed my arm and apparated to a dingy street that was almost completely dark. It was really narrow and the buildings around us smelled like death. You couldn't even see the sky, the buildings were so high up. Iskra let me go and pulled her hood up and I did the same. We heard others apparating around us in the darkness so she grabbed my arm and pulled me down the street. "Many people prefer to apparate outside than in since you don't know what situation one will be coming into," she explained as I looked around us.

We came to a stop near a large door that was hidden between two buildings. She tapped it once with her wand and said, "Patentibus" and the door slid open. I pulled my cloak tighter around and slid my wand down into my hand.

She walked in and I followed her. The door shut silently as we stepped away from it. "It opens in different locations every three times somebody comes through it," Iskra said quietly as she moved away from a man that was leaning against the far wall staring at us with a leer.

Looking around us I noticed that it was all set up with small shops at the front while bigger shops could be seen further down and it branched off from there. I heard a loud roar and almost jumped. I knew that sound too well. There were dragons nearby.

We walked around for a bit seeing the things that were on 'sale' and moving further down towards the sound of dragons roaring. Iskra stayed ahead of me and tried to look around for familiar faces.

I froze when we came to a building that looked like it should have hosted large horses and instead had small dragons in them. The building looked like it went further down and you could hear the awful roaring. But it wasn't your usual roaring. It sounded heart-wrenching to the ears but with the added roar of an enraged dragon.

"They breed the dragons here and kill and sell parts of them too. That's what I'm doing here half of the time. Getting information and sending it out. I practice dark magic but even this is…" Iskra made a face of disgust before walking past the stables. I gave it a lingering gaze before following after. I could see many people of different races but none were the ones we were looking for.

We came to stop near a shop called Grimy Grim when the door opened and shouting could be heard from the inside.

"We said we would bring it in and we did. The price you gave us isn't the same one, old man!"

I stiffened and grabbed Iskra's arm and pulled her beside the building and made her crowd me in. From the outside, it looked like Iskra was trying to buy my favors. She looked down at me in confusion but I just shook my head and moved her closer. I knew the voice of the person inside. It was Dolohov. We could hear something slamming continuously against a crate inside but it didn't overlap Dolohov's outraged voice.

"I could kill you in different ways so just give me the money and you can have the damn bloodhounds."

We couldn't hear what the old man said but it seemed to have pleased Dolohov since we didn't hear him shout again. Since we were under the window but I wasn't tall enough to look into it especially since I was facing the street. I pulled Iskra's face down to mine, "Try and look into the window and try to see what kind of bloodhound it is."

She nodded and pushed farther up against the window so that it would look like she was just trying to get a better position. I felt her body stiffen as she glanced inside. After a while she rested her forehead against my neck, her hood covered my face up so I couldn't see around her.

"It's an Albino Bloodhound," she whispered in my ear. I gripped her the front of her cloak tight, the hounds were only supposed to be controlled by the pest sub-division since they were going extinct. They had been overused by the farmers and for potions so now they tried keeping them inside reserves to breed them. Shite, somebody on the inside must be helping them. Why didn't we think of that? Several people had actually been helping the Death Eaters and there is only so much that Snape and the others could know.

Somebody must have slipped through the cracks.

"Let's go. We know they come here so I'll let Harry know about it." I felt her nod against my neck and moved back. We quickly made our way back towards the way we had come in from. On our way, I kept looking around at the stalls that reeked of dark magic. I could feel the elements of the dark curse that was used openly here.

We were almost there when we heard a large crash and we both turned sharply towards the noise and saw a beautiful dragon burst through the top of the building we had passed earlier. It was an Antipodean Opaleye Dragon, the pearly scales gave it away as well as the size. It roared and a ball of fire emerged from its jaws. I was about to move forward when I felt large arms grab me from behind. I was pulled back and away from Iskra who shouted for me but the crowd all moved as one and people were running.

I pointed my wand back into the neck of whoever had grabbed me and before I could utter a spell I heard the deep but furious voice. "You think I couldn't smell you? I have had your nasty mudblood scent engraved in me. Don't think I don't remember you. I do. Harry Potter's mudbloodwhore." Greyback's foul smelling breath brushed across my face as he bodily turned me around to face him.

"You disgusting mongrel." I hissed at him as I heard Iskra scream my name from afar. Everybody was too busy worried about the escaped dragon nobody paid mind to us. He grabbed my hand and twisted it hard. I gasped but pushed hard against him as he tried pulling my body to his.

I needed to take him with me before he thought of apparating us somewhere else. I didn't want to take him home but I had no choice. I grabbed a fistful of his hair and moved my arm away from his opened mouth.

I apparated us right by the willow tree and heard Greyback scream as he landed. I had deliberately done it this way to splinch him. Even kill him if possible. I kicked him away from my body and stood up since I had been dragged down with him and flicked my wrist twice to send my patronus to Harry. "Harry, I have Greyback at my house!"

The otter left at great speed and I flicked my wand around Greyback who had was lurching back and forth on the floor with a missing arm. But before I could I heard somebody else apparate in.

It was Iskra but she had landed too close to Greyback who took the chance and made a grab towards her. I could accidently hit her a wayward spell so instead, I ran forward and pushed her out of the way. I landed on the hand he had twisted earlier and I cried out.

"HERMIONE!" I heard several people shout as well as Iskra who had landed against the willow tree. I had lost my wand so I tried getting up when Greyback finally made another grab for me and yanked me back. He dove down onto my neck and bit me.

HARD.

I screamed in outrage and pain as he ripped into me. I felt him being flung away and I slumped down on the floor with blood drenching my cloak and shirt. I was delirious with pain at that point and tried to crawl away when somebody grabbed me.

"No!" I screamed as I jerked forward. "Shhh, I have you." Nott's voice said as he picked me up. I shouldn't have felt safe and protected in his arms but I did and finally gave into painful darkness.

I was safe.

\/\/\/

Feedback is welcomed.

Let me know what you think and thanks for the reviews given, (clove the pegasis, Rlyn96, MidnightQuill420, Randomperson-, nerdy-girl-uni, elixabethrose, Guest, I'mImmortal, ArielNicholas, roon0, LK-Hogwarts)

Please look forward to the next chapter.

Vane


	12. Chapter 12

J.K Rowlings made it and now we live in her world. Rejoice in that my fellow wizards.

\/\/\/

Chapter 12

(Four days later)

I felt way too warm, even feeling a bit squished as well. Something kept tickling my nose too. Opening my eyes a bit I saw Crookshanks scrunched up face looking down at me. He flicked his tail against my nose again, almost making sneeze. Once he realized I was awake he bounded off the bed.

I froze when I felt a hand brushed my lower back and then everything came rushing back. Iskra, Greyback, and the bite. I winced when I bumped my bandaged shoulder and neck. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would have. I looked down to see Ron's head nestled on my stomach so that would leave Harry spooning me from behind.

I didn't want to wake them but I really needed to relieve myself. Shifting one foot away from the tangle of legs I was almost sitting up when Harry jerked awake and smacked me on the head. I yelped and jostled Ron who had raised his head and bumped my breasts.

I looked down at Ron who was blushing furiously at the position he found himself in. It had been a long time since I had seen this particular shade of red and I found myself almost happy that he was actually reacting this way.

The door to my room opened and Mother walked in with the rest of the guest. Everybody froze at the sight of us. Harry was frozen behind me and I realized that I moved back so that I was sitting on his lap while Ron still had his face shoved into my bosom. I was only wearing a tank-top probably due to the bandaging.

I looked at the faces of Malfoy and Nott. They both were staring hard at me something flashed across their faces before both turned away and stared stonily at the far wall.

It felt wrong somehow. I didn't want them thinking wrong. I didn't know exactly why but I didn't like the look in their faces.

"Well Hemi, that's one way to have two blocks at a time." Iskra's sarcastic voice could be heard from behind Snape. She wasn't as tall as Snape was but you could see her eyes over his shoulder. I mock glared at her as I pushed Ron away and raised the bed covers up.

"Give us a moment," I said as I got up with Harry's help. Mum smiled at me but it didn't mask the fear that shown in her eyes. She got everybody out and closed the door firmly on Iskra who had made a comment about joining us.

Ron was still red in the face and Harry just stared at me with a hint of anger in his eyes. I knew was coming but I really didn't want to deal with it. Although, now that I thought about it, Greyback had been in his human form so I at least didn't get infected completely unlike Remus. I would have to speak with Bill about the whole wolf tendencies since I never actually asked him personally.

I grabbed an old button up shirt that used to be fathers and slid on while the boys built up their anger all over again. I turned around after buttoning up and saw Ron standing by the bed with his arms crossed while Harry walked over to me and scowled down at me.

"Will saying sorry make it better?" I asked as I raised one hand to his stubbled jaw. Harry grumbled as he grabbed my arm. At least he didn't grab the other one.

"Why? Why did you do that?" he asked in a small voice. I felt a jolt run through me at his tone. I had really scared him. I felt his hands trembling slightly as he turned my face up to his. He rubbed his cheek against mine as he whispered threats we both knew he wouldn't follow through. Ron wasn't as forgiving. He had never been.

Ron pushed Harry to the side as he faced me. His face wasn't as red as before and his eyes were now shadowed with his bottled up pain and fear. He had changed so much since the battle. He wasn't my loud and over the top Ron who had always made his opinions known. Who had always reacted first and asked questions later? No, that boy was buried underneath a tightly controlled fast that one day would shatter and then the boy will come out once again.

For now, all I could do was be there for him even if sometimes the reminder was unbearable.

Ron took one look at me then at my shoulder for a long moment before walking out calmly. He didn't slam the door. He didn't' yell at me. He did nothing but force his feelings away. Almost like occlumency yet we both knew he was rubbish at it. Harry was staring at the door again with a pained look. He was the one directly dealing with him since they lived together.

"When it happens, it will awful," Harry said as he tugged me to the bed. He grabbed my shoulders and tucked my head into his chest.

"I know, I wish that we could help him but we only push away when we try and being with his mother only makes it worse."

Harry shrugged, "We can't help those that don't want it. We can't force him. All we can do is be here when that moment comes." Such grown up words and yet they weren't.

His hand brushed my shoulder on accident as he shifted back and I winced. "Sorry, we would have sent for Poppy but we thought that you would want to do it and we actually didn't want anybody to touch you while you were out."

"How long was I out for?"

"About four days. He almost ripped your throat out, Hermione, he had his mouth clamped down and Malfoy sent sectumsempra at his face while Ron and I flung him away from you when he released you," he said as he grabbed my hand in a tight grip, "Nott grabbed you first before anybody else. We thought you were dead. Your mom screamed and went towards you but saw Iskra who was about to Aveda him and grabbed her. Iskra almost threw her off in her rage."

I grimaced at hearing about my mother screaming. She probably thought she had really lost me. Iskra would have killed him. She had no problem using that spell.

I remembered Nott holding me in his arms and having the feeling of being safe. Me. Safe in Nott's arms. I felt a bit unsettled thinking of that.

Harry got up and moved towards my small table by the window where I had tea with Malfoy. There sad a wooden box which he opened and pulled out a small glass jar with wire snap lid. It was filled with a silvery paste.

"Snape made this the day it happened and said to give to you when you woke up. It has powdered silver and dittany. He said it will seal the wound completely but it will leave a scar."

I shrugged, "I have a lot of scars. One more isn't going to change that." I took off the button up shirt and Harry helped me take off the bandages. I wasn't self-conscious in front of him in only a tank top since he had gotten an eyeful back when we had been on the run. I remember that he had stumbled out of the tent without a shirt and Ron had lingered a bit before grabbing a shirt for Harry.

I had blushed that time but now standing here in just a tank-top and no bra didn't faze me. He didn't react either as he pulled off the last bandage. I walked over to my vanity mirror so that I could apply the paste. The bite was large and jagged. His clawed hands had wrapped around my arm and you could see the harsh gashes wrapped around my upper arm. I applied it to both areas and watched as they slowly sealed. I waited a bit longer before wiping the paste away with the bandage.

The scar was silvery with a hint of red since it was still tender. I met Harry's eyes in the mirror, "Not bad." Harry rolled his eyes but I could see the strain in them. I looked away and picked up a jersey that had been Harry's Quidditch shirt. It had the name POTTER with the number seven.

He didn't comment on the shirt but did grab his sweater and headed towards the door. "I have to go see Ginny since I haven't been home since you've been asleep. She stayed the first night but I sent her home."

"She won't wait forever, Harry," I said softly. He stiffened as he opened the door. "Sometimes I think that it's for the best if she doesn't."

He left and I stared at the door for quite a while trying not to cry at his words. I didn't want to believe that he would just throw it all away. But it was Harry. He was irrational but now he was even more so. Working every day and staying out of the house would make any women waver.

I used the bathroom and headed downstairs where I could hear Iskra's voice. "So, you were the spy." I rolled my eyes at that. She had always had a thing for Severus. She had met him at a potions meeting in the ministry since Viktor had sent her to find out what new cures and such they had come up with. Snape had only been allowed in since Harry had repeatedly vouched for him. He still got stared at according to Harry since he saw him a lot. Even when he hadn't been able to talk people wanted to get close to him since they were all attracted to the 'Dark' side of him.

Iskra had always asked about him but I hadn't been close to him. Ever.

I walked into the living room where everybody was at and mother came to me with wide scared eyes. "Hermione," she said as she grabbed me in a gentle hug. I hugged her back a bit tighter. I knew she had been afraid for me that I didn't want her scared. "I'm fine now mom." She nodded as she pulled away.

Snape moved away from Iskra who had been staring at his backside and stepped around mother. "Did you apply the paste?" I nodded as I pulled the jersey to the side to show him. He glanced at it before nodding, "Good, do it again later tonight."

He gave one last look at Iskra before using the floo. Iskra stared after him with a wide grin on her face.

Narcissa stood up as did Malfoy and Nott. "How are you, Miss Granger?" asked Narcissa. I moved my shoulder around, "I'm fine. He bit me while in human form so I won't have to worry about turning." Mother glanced at my shoulder with a frown.

Iskra moved towards me and hit my hard on my other arm. She almost knocked me forward. "You scared me! I told you not to stray from me!" she said loudly as she smacked me again. I had scared her too but with her it was different. She hit people to show her concern.

"Iskra, I didn't move away from you by choice. You know this." I said as I kneeled down to grab Crookshanks. He nuzzled me for a bit before getting up onto my uninjured shoulder.

Iskra glared at me for a bit before a dazzling smile spread across her face. Shite, that wasn't good. "You will have to deal with Vik. He knows and let's say that he's a tad mad at you." I closed my eyes tightly. I could deal with Ron's silent anger and Harry's fear but not a fully pissed off Bulgarian who had told me not to get hurt and looked how that had ended. He yelled at me before but I had been able to soothe him easily.

I grabbed a pillow and threw it at her while being very aware of two distinctive gazes on me. Mother went into the kitchen and Narcissa followed her while Iskra just smirked at me. I glanced back at the two men standing by the window. Malfoy was staring hard at me while Nott flatly looked at me too. Iskra smirked and bumped my shoulder as she headed towards the kitchen leaving me alone with the both of them.

It didn't help that I felt a bit guilty wearing Harry's shirt. Although, I had no reason to feel that way. None at all.

I walked towards them and watched Malfoy shift a little while Nott just looked at me. I stopped about a foot away from them and looked up at Nott. "Thank you." Nott's flat eyes flashed with something too fast for me to read before nodding silently. Malfoy was staring me down and before I could say anything he asked, "Are you dating the both of them?" I stared at him gobsmacked. What in the…

I shook my head, "What." Malfoy frowned as he shifted forward. "Are you dating both of them? Potter and Weasley?" I frowned, "No, but even if I was it's none of your business." Malfoy ran his hands through his hair before straightening up, "You're right. It isn't any of my business. I'm glad you're okay." With that said he walked to the front door and stepped outside.

I was still staring at after him when Nott spoke up. "He has always liked you." I looked up at him a shock. What? What did he say?

Nott must have seen the confusion on my face. "He has liked you since our second year. I don't know much but Blaise since I never really hanged out with the lot of them. But I do know that he had a thing for you. But he accepted that nothing would ever come out of it." he looked down at me for a second before turning towards the stairs. "You'd be surprised at how many Slytherins actually liked you. We could just never show it. We weren't allowed to."

I tried to wrap my head around his words and yet I couldn't. That was the longest time he had ever spoken to me. I turned to the window to see Malfoy near the water. He looked so out of place. I turned away and leaned back against the window. The coolness of it soothed me and helped me think a bit better. I could always ask him directly. But what would I say? Hey, Draco, I heard from Nott that you have fancied me for quite a while. Is it true?

Shaking my head as I brought my legs up onto the ledge, I clasped my hands in front of them and put my head down. It was true that the first time I had met him I had thought he had been quite nice looking but as soon as he opened his mouth; I had greatly disliked him. Him calling me names hadn't helped. But he had never once looked at me in anything more than disgust. Either he had been a great actor or it was all a rubbish lie.

I didn't even want to think of what other Slytherin had fancied me. One or two was fine. Yeah, I had caught on to the fact that Nott had said we. As in him too.

Closing my eyes as I thought of them both. To be honest I couldn't say that I had ever felt anything for them. I had always had eyes for Ron and his other brother Charlie. But thinking of Malfoy and Nott recently had changed that. I noticed them right away when I walked into a room. I could feel them looking at me with burning gazes. Malfoy was not like he once was but I don't think it was ever him. Not once has he made a snide remark towards mother or me? Nott, I didn't know as well but could only assume that he was even silent than before.

I had read some books about wizard marriages with more than two people. I hadn't met anybody that was polyamorous before. But with the way I was currently feeling; I could see the appeal in it. Not that it would ever happen to me.

Especially not now.

Right now we had more serious matters to focus on. Getting up and rotating my arm a couple of times I walked into the kitchen to see mother, Iskra, and Narcissa on the table talking amongst themselves. I stared out the window into the crispy air. It felt amazing on my heated skin. I had to write to Bill soon since the full moon was a couple of days away and I need to know everything.

The day passed slowly and it was almost time for dinner when Bill replied back to me. Basically, I would have heightened senses and crave raw meat. I didn't like that last bit. I had never been a meat lover so I didn't know how that would end up.

We had a quiet dinner and Iskra left saying that Vik had sent a note saying he wouldn't be able to come but that he would have a few words with me soon. He wanted Iskra to check something out for him. Iskra had told me that she would come back after the full moon and we would head to another location on the list next time.

I didn't know if she had told Harry about it or if she just wanted us to go by ourselves. I didn't ask what had happened to Greyback but I could guess where he was currently at.

Heading upstairs and into my room, I went through the list and checked off the one we had visited. I knew that Harry was going with some Auror's but I was pretty sure they wouldn't find anything. The dragon had probably scorched it all.

I heard a light knock and turned around to see Malfoy standing by the door with Nott. He walked in slowly when I motioned to the chairs we had sat at the last time. Nott followed him as he took a look around. The room was filled with both muggle and wizard things so it probably did look a bit weird to them.

Sitting down on my desk chair I stared down at the list one more time before turning to look at them. Malfoy was looking at me while Nott had zeroed in on the book that Malfoy had seen the last time.

"Are you going again?" Malfoy asked as he looked over at the picture on the wall. If was of father and me. I stared at him for a bit. Should I lie? Nott spoke before I could, "Don't lie. I came into your room when you left that night. I saw the location and called Potter." I glared at him before smiling. It threw him off and I burst out laughing. Malfoy smiled gently at me, "She lost it." I waved him away. "No, I'm fine. I just never had anybody call me out on that. Harry and Ron would never do that."

Once I said their names Malfoy became serious. I sighed a bit and leaned back. "I am going again. I'm like bait I guess? I haven't figured out exactly what I'm going to do so I'm planning until Iskra gets back. Not many can go actually. Only Iskra, me and somebody else."

Nott was still staring at them book when he spoke up, "We don't have much to do right now. One of us can go with you both." I raised an eyebrow at that but didn't comment. It felt weird having them both here in my room and having a conversation without insults. At least with Malfoy that is. Nott had never said anything to me directly.

I was about to say something else when loud crack sounds came from outside. I got up and ran towards the window to see three figures in hoods right outside the wards.

Shite, they had found us.

\/\/\/

A bit long but it's about to get better.

Thanks for the comments :)

Vane


	13. Chapter 13

I'm only borrowing her world since I'm having a hard time believing that it's over. It has been a long time and I can't help but return. J.K Rowling's world is the best.

\/\/\/

 **Chapter 13**

 **(Same Day)**

The hooded figures were using curse after curse trying to break the wards and I hoped that they did breach them. I wanted to hurt somebody.

I watched them for a bit longer before turning to Nott and Malfoy. "Get our mothers out of here and take them to Number twelve Grimland Place. Get Harry and tell him to get help. Let him know what's going on." I turned sharply away from them but didn't get far.

Malfoy had grabbed my hand while Nott had moved to block me. "You think we'd leave you here by yourself?" asked Malfoy harshly. I raised an eyebrow at his tone, "You know that they are here for you, right?"

Malfoy glared down at me while Nott cleared his voice, "I'll take them but I'm coming back with the others." He didn't even let me speak before he was heading out the door and downstairs. I glanced back at Malfoy and saw him still staring down at me with a heated glare.

"Why do you care if I stay here by myself?" I asked I stepped closer towards him. He let go of me with a jerk of his arm and took a step back. I knew the answer I just wanted to hear it from him personally and not from Nott. Although I wanted to hear something from Nott as well.

He grew flushed under my gaze and it was very dramatic since he was so fair skinned. "Right now is not the time to answer that." He said as he tried stepping around me.

No, It wasn't. And yet I really wanted to know. A loud scream of frustration ripped through the air. Yeah, it wasn't the time.

I turned back to the door and he followed me but I stopped abruptly and he bumped into my back. Malfoy grabbed my waist to keep himself from falling backward. I should have pushed him away since I couldn't stand the feel of people touching me unless it was Harry, Ron or my mother. Not including Iskra since she was just pushy.

Yet, I let him grab me for a bit. The feel of his large hands sent a shiver through my body and I looked over my shoulder to look at him but my forehead bumped his chin instead. He glanced down at me before stepping back once again. "Sorry," he said as he looked away from me. I wanted to say something, anything really but I right now really wasn't the time for this. I don't know why exactly I was pushing him so damn hard.

I made my way downstairs with him right behind me. I saw Narcissa step through the floo and Nott follow her. Mother was standing right by it as she glanced around for me. As soon as she saw me she relaxed somewhat and grabbed my hands as soon as I got near her.

"Are you staying?" she asked anxiously. I nodded and grabbed the emergency bag that was always tucked under the couch. It had everything we needed in it just in case we got separated and she needed to disappear into the muggle world. Even a gun that my mother had gotten from my father four years ago.

He had given it to her the day the robbers had come into the house. Mother had stayed home while father had gone to a convention and she hadn't been able to go since she was sick. During the night they came in and attacked her. She had gotten stabbed twice and her screaming had brought the whole neighborhood to the house.

They hadn't escaped and Father had come home worried out of his mind. I hadn't been told until I had come home for the summer. I had been so scared when she had told me. It took them a while to tell me that she had actually been pregnant and she had lost the child during the attack. I still remembered the empty look in her eyes and the guilt in my father whenever it was ever mentioned.

I could have had a little brother or sister. But that never came to be.

Shaking those thoughts away, I hugged her and told her to say really clearly the name of Harry's home. "I'll be there soon, Okay." She nodded as she stepped through and disappeared. I ignored Malfoy and stood in the middle of the living room and closed my eyes as I took my wand out. I made two circles in the air and felt a light breeze as my magic circled around me. I heard Malfoy gasp as well as several others but I paid them no attention.

"Traxerium Maximum," I said softly and a sharp noise filled the room before things started shifting. Opening my eyes to see Malfoy standing in front of me with wide eyes and with his hand half raised towards. Nott and Harry were standing to one side as they watched me with keen eyes as my magic surrounded them.

All of our belongings were whizzing by us shrinking as they went into the bag my mother had left opened on the floor.

I could still hear them outside. They were tiring since none of them could bring them down. I looked over at Harry, "I'll be bait."

Before any of them could say anything I walked out of the house and onto the porch. I could see there faces faintly since the sun was already setting so it barely illuminated their faces. But I would know who they were anywhere.

Yaxley was standing in the middle with Rookwood and Carrow on either side of him. All three bore expression a disdain and hatred. Yaxley saw me first and laughed harshly. He probably thought it was just me and my mother in the house.

I stood at the top of the steps leading down towards them and watched as they sent curse after curse at the wards. Lifting my wand I waved it once in the air and the wards came down in a rainbow of sparks. Carrow cackled madly, almost reminding of Bellatrix.

Yaxley grinned as he stared me down. "We were told to capture you alive. Dolohov misses his pet and wants to play with you, mudblood whore." I waved away the spell that Carrow shot at me and flicked my wand at him. He grunted before slamming into the tree behind him.

Rookwood growled and almost charged me but Yaxley stopped him, "Don't. Do not underestimate her. She is a mudblood but a smart one. The Dark Lord had been interested in her before. Dolohov wants her alive." I frowned at that. I hadn't known about Riddle being interested in me.

Carrow groaned as he rolled onto his back. He had a gash on his face and his arm was bent at the elbow but not the way should be. He looked down at his arm and screamed. I resisted smiling at that. Wait, what? Smiling?I took a step back and Yaxley laughed thinking it was about what he had just said. Which was far from the truth. I wasn't even paying attention to his mindless babble.

It then hit me with a startling realization. It wasn't' just me anymore. I had been bitten by one of the most powerful werewolves in the world. It had only been in his human form but he was always semi-transformed. I had some tendencies just like Bill had said. I hadn't realized that it would be so soon but I hadn't taken into account the number of days I had been out.

The werewolf gene had already been infused with my human ones. I wasn't wholly human anymore. I was at least fifty percent human and fifty percent wolf. I could faintly hear Yaxley asking me something but I ignored him as I looked down at my nails. They were a tiny bit thicker and sharper. One couldn't tell the difference but I could. They had grown in the past few days but I hadn't really looked at them.

I now understood why I was pushing Malfoy so hard earlier.

I stepped down the stairs and Yaxley snarled at me, "Leave your wand, whore." I really didn't understand the whole whore thing. I had only slept with one other person. I didn't need my want since I knew Harry wouldn't allow anything to happen to me.

Dropping my wand on the stairs, I moved closer to Yaxley while Rookwood walked over to Carrow. Carrow was still screaming and it was starting to hurt my sensitive hearing. "Shut him up," I said as I sneered down at Carrow. Yaxley gave me a savage smile but his eyes were full of hatred as he spoke, "The mudblood doesn't like your screaming Carrow. Tone it down a bit, will you?"

I was about a foot away from Yaxley when he suddenly lurched forward and yanked me against his chest. "You didn't think I would leave your mummy alone now did you?" I feigned horror at that and almost punched him as sick pleasure crossed his eyes. He nodded at the house as he spoke to Rookwood, "Go play with the muggle. Do whatever you want." Rookwood grinned as he head up the stairs.

He disappeared into the house and closed the door. I knew he would be caught by either Ron or the others. Yaxley pulled me towards the tree that Carrow had hit and I glanced down at his prone body as we passed him. He was facing away from us and whimpering into the dirty floor.

I saw something shift a bit in front of him but I was pretty sure the person was using the disillusionment charm. Yaxley pushed me roughly into the tree as one of his hands wandered up into my shirt. I waited faintly till I heard Carrow's whimpers abruptly end. Yaxley was too busy feeling me up that he didn't notice the silence.

My rage was building with every stroke of his hands until all I could hear was a roaring in my ears. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked my head back sharply. I didn't make a noise and he growled, "I think you're enjoying this, filth."

I grabbed his arm, "No, but you definitely won't." I dug in my nails and twisted his arm and I didn't stop even when I heard a loud crack, no I pulled harder. He screamed and released me. I didn't step away although somebody did disarm him.

Still holding onto his arm I jerked him towards me?and he screamed louder. "You cunt!" He looked widely around to see who had taken his wand but nobody was visible.

He tried to swing at me with his other arm but somebody grabbed him from behind and threw him to the floor. Harry appeared in front of us with his foot on Yaxley's back. He looked at me over Yaxley's high pitched screaming, "Bloody fucking hell Hermione! What were you thinking!" he yelled at me as he stepped down harder on the idiot's back.

I looked down at my hand which had been clenched around Yaxley's arm. The nails had blood on them.

I looked up to meet Harry's rage filled eyes. "We need to talk." I left him with Yaxley and went around the tree to see Malfoy, Nott, Ron and Remus holding the two other men. Ron was scowling and when he caught sight of me he let go of Rookwood and marched over to me.

His face showed many emotions all at once. "Fucking shite, Hermione! You just woke up today and already you fucking did something stupid!" His usually well-kept emotions were all over the place and his face was blotchy. I smiled at him and he staggered back in shock. "What?" he said as he looked me over.

"I should make you mad if it's the only way you'll break out of those walls you built around yourself."

Ron growled before closing his eyes and pinched his nose. "Of all the things to say." I walked around him and towards Malfoy and Nott who also had scowls on their faces. I was surrounded by pure male rage in every direction. I turned away from them and towards Remus hoping that there was one sane male in this bunch.

Nope, not going to find help there. He was also glaring at me his eyes kept flashing from warm brown to gold. He took one step towards me and frowned as he sniffed the air. Something flashed in his eyes and he dropped his glare. He smiled at me, "It's kicking in now, isn't it?"

I nodded as I looked down at Rookwood who was bounded and stunned. "I realized it as soon as I started to fight with Yaxley. Wolf gene seems to be stronger in me than it was in Bill thought?" Remus came a bit closer as he spoke, "Bill was only scratched. He wasn't bitten. I think that being bitten directly by Greyback is more powerful since his always half transformed."

Ron and Harry stepped around me and dumped Yaxley with the other two. "We'll have to take them in and question them about the others. We'll meet back at Grimland place. I headed towards the stairs and picked up my wand which I had left from before. Ignoring the intense stares I was still receiving, grabbed the bag filled with our stuff.

Crookshanks came bounded into the room with an affronted look on his face. "Don't worry, I wasn't going to forget about you. He jumped up into my open arms and wrapped himself around my neck. I winced a bit since Yaxley probably strained the tender flesh around the bite. I heard the others come in but I ignored them again.

Apparating into Harry's living room with the bag and Crookshanks, who leaped off me, before mother called my name out. "In the living room, mum." I heard a door open and saw mother come in with Narcissa. Mother was more open about her feelings than Narcissa, who only betrayed her worry by glancing around for her son.

Mother grabbed my hands as she looked me over. "You didn't get hurt?" I shook my head, "Not really. It was three of the missing Death Eaters. The wards I had in place prevented them from coming in. Only two other people other than me can break those. Harry and Ron but I think Snape can too. Dumbledore could have too. He gave me a book on them near the end of fifth year and I practiced it in my sixth year."

Narcissa was staring at me with a cool look in her eyes. "Who was it?" I was about to answer when Ginny came into the room. She looked drained, with bags under her eyes. Her normally bright gaze was shadowed. I frowned at her but didn't comment in front of the others. Now wasn't the time.

I sat down on the armchair while mother grabbed the bag from the floor. "I packed up everything in the house. Even the guest's things. We'll be staying here until this is all over. Only three of the missing Death Eaters attacked the house expecting it to just be mother and me. It was Rookwood, Yaxley, and Carrow." I said as I leaned back into the chair. My neck was still tender and my nails ached. I stared down at them, they had dried blood underneath the nails. The blood a rusty red now. I could smell the faint whiskey in Ginny's breath, Narcissa's perfume on her wrist. I could hear mother's locket rubbing against her shirt.

There were so many things I need to get used to. The floo opened and Nott stepped through followed by Malfoy. Both went over to Narcissa. I blocked out their conversation and Remus stepped through. He walked over to mother and me with a frown on his face. "It wasn't Yaxley. A couple of minutes after you left he turned back to his original form. He must have been using the polyjuice potion. It was really Silas Crump, his another known werewolf but he is a bit defective. Something went wrong with his wolf gene. He has never been able to transform but he's definitely part werewolf."

If he had been a full wolf like Remus than he would have been able to know about me. Mother was frowning as she glanced back and forth between Remus and me. Everybody else was listening with attentive ears.

"What does that make Hermione?" Mother asked. Remus shot me a look and I answered instead, "I'm more than what Bill Weasley is but less than Remus. I was bitten by Greyback in human form so I won't transform every month but I will have werewolf tendencies that are stronger in me than Bill. Since I rested such a long time the werewolf gene mixed with my human ones and I'm already experiencing some of this changes." I didn't clarify what type.

Mother looked worried but didn't question me in front of the others. Remus was about to speak when Harry's stage came into the room and stopped in front of me. "Parkinson and Zabini have been attacked, Their families have been murdered and Zabini is injured but we can't send them to St. Mungo's; Parkinson is injured too but not as bad as Zabini. I told them to head there. I'll be there later."

I cursed and for once mother didn't comment while Remus leaned back into the wall behind him with a loud thump. Nope, we were not going to get the peace we had fought for. Who else would die before we catch them?

\/\/\/

Thank you for the Reviews! I get totally excited as I read them. Keep them coming. :)

By the way, somebody close to Hermione is going to die. Maybe…

Also, I'm posting this story on Wattpad under the username anisaxoxsnape. I have two other stories on there completed but I wrote those while I was a freshman in High School. I'm posting pictures of certain things there, like what Nott looks like, their house, Hermione, etc... Check them out if you like. I'm rubbish as details and such so it's better with a picture.

 **Vane**


	14. Chapter 14

I know it's not mine. I couldn't have made this up by myself. I'm not that creative. J. K Rowling's did tho.

\/\/\/

 **Chapter 14**

 **(same day)**

Pansy Parkinson stepped through the fireplace and stopped short when she saw all of us gathered around in the living room. She stopped short on Malfoy with a surprised look in her eyes. I suddenly didn't want her here. Feeling the urge to hurt her bodily surprised me. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that she was already bleeding from her face and arm.

Blaise Zabini came in after her and his face almost made me gasp in shock. His face was dripping blood. One eye was closed shut since it had a gash running down from his eyebrow to his jaw. He staggered and would have fallen to the floor but Nott grabbed him around the waist.

Mother gasped and Narissa paled at seeing the state of his face. Ginny transfigured the couch next to her into a small hospital bed. I waved my wand towards the cabinet by the door and a large black box floated towards me as I made my way towards Parkinson and Zabini. Remus left us to go pick up Teddy and Ginny moved away from the four Slytherins and mother while Narcissa checked Parkinson over.

The box floated near my hip as I lowered myself down to look at Zabini. He looked up at me with his good eye and grinned, "Granger, nice seeing you here." Ignoring the stiffening of the two bodies on either side of him I brushed his hair to the side and lightly smacked him on his shoulder.

"Already causing trouble?" I asked as I opened the box and pulled out several phials. I handed him two blood-replenishing potions and pointed my hand at his face. "Evanesco", and waited for the blood to vanish so that I could use dittany to completely heal it.

I passed the box to mum so that she could help Narcissa with Parkinson. Ignoring the two imposing bodies near us, I sat down by Zabini and asked what everybody in the room wanted to know.

"What happened?"

Zabini sighed as his face lost the slight smile on it. His eyes became shadowed as he spoke. "I was visiting mother for a couple of days and was almost about to leave when a loud blast sounded by the foyer. I had asked mum to wait behind but she didn't. In the foyer, I saw Dolohov and Rowle standing with their hands out. They killed mother instantly."

He leaned towards me a bit and I mentally prepared myself to his touch. His shoulder brushed mine, seeking comfort from me. To my surprise, I realized that I didn't' need to prepare myself. His touch didn't make me want to move away.

I glanced at Ginny who had automatically zeroed in on that small fact. She raised her eyebrow at me but didn't comment. Mother moved over to both of us and gave Zabini a light hug. Zabini soaked in her motherly love and seemed to sink into her.

"I hit Rowle with a curse but then Dolohov caught me with his own curse. I saw somebody else with them. They stood in the back but I couldn't see them." he said as he brought mother down with us. I saw Parkinson get up and Malfoy went to her.

I gritted my teeth and glanced back at Nott. He was staring at with a surprised look on his face.

I was still staring at him when Parkinson began speaking. "Goyle contacted father this morning and asked if he could come. Mother had overheard them talking and came to get me. Once Goyle killed father the words around the house dropped. Yaxley apparated in with a greasy fat man mother named Fletcher before he killed her. I fought all three of them when three of my elves came in and took me to kitchens. The use of the killing curse in the house brought the Aurors to the house." Parkinson looked at Malfoy's face and I wanted to rip into her stomach. I didn't like the way she was kept staring at him. Something must have shown in my face since Ginny looked at me again.

Shite, I needed to learn how to control this new tendinosis of mine. Occluding wasn't helping. I got up and waved at the box and sent it back to the cabinet. I turned towards the fireplace to avoid looking at anybody. Zabini spoke up, "I told Bliss, my house elf, to get to the Ministry. I was seen by Weasley the scared one. He called Potter and apparated me to Potter's location. Which was Pansy's house."

There was that name again. I was getting riled up for no apparent reason. I wanted to growl my anger or at least snap at them to not say her name again. I was acting pity while others in the room had just lost family. I rubbed my eyes and snapped them open when the fireplace opened. Remus stepped through with Teddy in his arms.

Teddy looked around with wide eyes before his eyes stopped on me. A large smile appeared on his face. He wiggled in his father's arms as he turned his whole body in my direction.

I forgot everybody else in the room and headed straight for him. I passed Parkinson but didn't even look at her. Or at Malfoy. Or Nott.

Careful not to touch Remus, I picked up Teddy who babbled into my ear quietly as he looked around me and towards the others in the room. He smelled like a baby should and now my nose could pick up the smell of Andromeda and apple juice in Teddy's breath. He grabbed a loose curl and tugged it lightly. I smiled down at him as he cuddled up into my chest. I looked up when the fireplace opened again and saw Harry come through followed by Ron. Harry looked around and saw me near the armchair against the wall with Teddy in my arms. His eyes looked a bit wild while Ron's eyes were a bit shadowed. Harry started talking to the others while Ron headed over to me.

Ignoring everybody else in the room, Ron looked down at me with dark eyes. He searched my face twice before grabbing my arm and taking me out of the room and near the stairs. I could see Kreacher near the end of the hall near the door. He gave us both a nasty glare before disappearing into the family tree room.

I glanced down at Teddy who was fighting his sleep but I knew he wouldn't be able to hold out for long. Rocking him back and forth as I waited for Ron to speak, I glanced back into the room and paused as I met Nott's eyes. He was staring at the child in my arms with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Ron finally spoke, breaking my concentration on Nott. "The cottage is safe, there wasn't any damage but we don't want to you back there. At least not till they are caught. I don't know how they found it but it won't be smart to go back there. For now stay here. Harry wants the others to stay here as well. Remus doesn't mind and Ginny...she needs somebody here. Snape is going to stay at here as well but will be with us most of the time." He stared down at me for a bit before sighing. "I'm still upset with you. Especially about earlier. What were you thinking?"

I stopped rocking Teddy and gave Ron a hard look, "I did what Harry or you would have done. The smart thing. They didn't know that I hadn't been alone. I was the distraction that you lot needed."

Ron gave me a frustrated glare, "I know that. I do. Yet, I didn't like it one bit. Neither did Harry who by the way is heading this way." I turned to look and yes, Harry was heading straight to me with his own glare directed at me. Giving a large huff that ruffled Teddy's hair, I braced myself for another mini-lecture.

\/

(Hours later)

After escaping both hotheads I had headed straight to my old room near the library which was the only room in that hallway. It had two doors, one connecting to the library and the other into the hallway, aside from the bathroom door that is. I had stayed there until Teddy had woken up.

Now I brought him into the kitchen, which was empty, and fixed a bit of oatmeal. Sitting him in his high chair and I started making it when a deep voice filled the room.

I glanced over me to see Nott standing there with Malfoy right behind him. I could see Zabini right behind them both as well. Zabini gave me a questioning look as he glanced from both men to me. I shrugged slightly as I handed Teddy his plate.

"That was foolish of you, Granger."

I raised my hand at Nott, palm facing him, and made a stopping motion. "I already got this talk with my boys, I don't need to hear it again. Plus, Greyback's bite changed a lot of things. I'm not so defenseless anymore. Even without a wand, I can defend myself." I wasn't about to tell them that I had learned how to use wandless magic. I would keep that to myself unless I was forced to use it.

Nott gave me a flat look as he leaned against the table across from while Zabini came around the table and rubbed against my side. Malfoy stiffened up and gave Zabini a glare. I wanted to smirk at that but suppressed the need. I wasn't like that. This bite had changed a few things about me.

I pushed Zabini away and he laughed lightly. I didn't have to look closely to see that he was grieving. He just wasn't one to show it. In the little time I had gotten to know him, I realized that he didn't like serious things. Or liked dealing with it. I missed Malfoy's dark look and turned to make myself a late sandwich dinner. Zabini watched me for a bit before speaking, "I don't want a burial for my 'mother'. She wasn't much of a mum to began with. I don't want to do deal with it. Your mother has been more of a mum than my own in the short time I have met with her."

Leaving my sandwich on the counter I grabbed his hands in a firm grip, "Mother would love and hate to hear that. She knows how your mother was and yet, your mother brought you into this world. She gave you life. I understand and I'll ask Harry to look into later." Zabini gave me a small smile before turning to Teddy who was trying to paint his face with his food.

"Since when have you two been so chummy?" asked Malfoy in low but firm voice. I turned around so that I was facing him completely, "Not that it's any of your business, but he sent me a letter in July wanting to apologize and later met up with him to talk about things. He was never friendly with me, never really spoke to me, but that was expected of a Slytherin back then. I had invited him over and Mother asked him about his life and so on. Iskra has met him before since his mother tried to get with her father, " I said as I ignored the disgusted look Zabini made when I said that.

Malfoy stared at me for a bit longer before turning away and leaving the room altogether. Nott gave Zabini a hard glare before following him. Exasperated, I pushed my uneaten sandwich away.

Zabini laughed loudly and it almost made me jump out of the skin. I glared at him, "What?" He shot me an amused look, "Since when have those two ever spoken to you like that? Are they stealing you away from me, Piccola." I growled at him.

"I'm not your's, pig."

"Is he trying to flirt with you again?" Iskra asked as she walked into the kitchen. I walked over to her and scowled at her, "Where have you been?" Iskra laughed as she moved around me and handed Teddy a lolly. "I met up with a contact in the next town. I was told that the Death Eaters are looking to build upon members. I think that's the reason they attacked this one and wanted to know about the Malfoys for a different reason."

Zabini shot me a look as I leaned back against the counter. "I'm guessing they wanted both Parkinson and Malfoy for the money since the Black Market was a bust since Greyback blew their cover."

Handing her the sandwich I hadn't even touched. Iskra smirked as she took a bite out of it. Zabini cleared his voice, "So, why was Malfoy trying to murder a block? Nott didn't have the usual friendly look either." Iskra laughed as she took another bite, "I wanted to ask that too. I passed them just now and both looked like they wanted to say a couple of not so nice things."

Zabini and Iskra both stared at me, waiting for an explanation. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. I was so tired and yet…

"I think I have some sort of feelings for not only for Malfoy but Nott as well. I don't know how to deal with it. I didn't want to acknowledge it but being bitten has changed something within me. It's harder to control my feelings and I tend to occlude without thinking. But around them, it's hard to. Living with them doesn't help," I sighed and slumped further into the counter, eyes still closed, "Logically I shouldn't like either one of them. Malfoy used to bully me in school and everybody else went along with it. He hasn't said anything to me since our fourth year. The only reason he noticed me was because of Harry."

I glanced at Teddy who was nodding off into his bowl and cleaned him up with my wand. Mother came in and took one glance at the child before taking him with a warm bottle of milk. I waited until she was gone before speaking again.

"Nott was whole different matter. He never said anything against me. But neither did speak up for me which I knew he couldn't or he would have been shunned for it. He hides his emotions so well it's a surprise whenever he does slip up. I never really spoke to him directly. I bumped into him a couple of times but never said a word."

Zabini shook his head with a wide grin. "Nott has always had a thing for you. He once said that he had never met a smarter person than you. He was the third smartest student at the school. The second one was Malfoy. He always got that fact thrown in his face by his father. He didn't like you at first for that."

I nodded, understanding too well what it was like. But not by my parents. I heard whispers around the school sometimes from other students and portraits alike.

"I need to straighten this out with them. This tension will soon get noticed by Harry and Ron. I rather deal with this before they find out." I was almost out the door when Zabini spoke out, "There on the third floor. Everybody else is on the second floor. Except for Pansy."

Her name made my nails curl into small claws. I really wanted to hurt somebody. Preferably her.

\/\/\/

Sorry for the late update. The computer got a virus or something so I sent it again to get fixed. Hopefully, it doesn't muck up again.

ArielNicholas913-Thank you! Oh, and it's going to get a bit harder for her to control herself. ;)

Elizabethrose1974-Sorry for the late update! Next one is already written. :)

Snowflake Dazzle-The boys will be around even more now. Whether Hermione wants them or not. :D

Feedback is most welcomed!

Vanee


	15. Chapter 15

It's her world (J.K Rowling) I'm just passing by and playing with it for a bit.

\/\/\/

Chapter 15

(Conversation everybody was waiting for)

I stared at the door in front of me in utter concentration. It was the only room with light coming from underneath the door and I could hear Nott, Malfoy, and Pansy inside. I didn't want to interrupt but a little small part of me did. A couple of minutes passed before the door opened and Pansy stepped out alone. She stared at me silently as she closed the door behind her.

"Granger."

"Parkinson."

We both stared at each other, sizing one up, but I wasn't here to talk to her. She looked away from first and cleared her throat. "I'm not sorry." I raised an eyebrow at that. "What aren't you sorry about?"

Parkinson raised her chin in a defiant manner, "When HE asked for Potter back in the Great Hall." Oh, yes. Her very loud opinion on giving 'up' Harry to Riddle. I gathered up my hair and tied up into a messy bun as I took my time replying to her. She kept her chin up as she stared me down. "Hm, I know why you did. Self-preservation or what not." Her eyes widened before she closed off her face. She nodded as she stepped away from the door and took a step to the side. "I think you were going to speak with them and not me?"

I nodded as I resisted the urge to hurt her. I really didn't like the way this new wolfy thing was making me feel. I opened the door and forgot what I was about all about her. Malfoy was standing by the large bed to the side with only his trousers on. His upper body was bared and his Dark Mark stood out very darkly against his skin.

He was reaching for a jumper on the bed when he froze and whipped around to look at me. His eyes widened and he turned sharply away from me. I looked away and stared into Nott's eyes. Nott was staring at me and gave me a small smile. I blinked, he smiled at me? It was gone in the next instant so I couldn't be sure. But his eyes weren't blankly staring at me like he always had before.

"I think we need to talk," I said as I turned back to Malfoy who gave me a sharp nod as he adjusted his jumper around himself. His face was a bit pale but his neck was flushed a deep red. I walked over to the chairs near the small table to the far side of the room. Malfoy sat down across from me while Nott remained standing near the wall. I wanted to ask why Parkinson had been in the room but decided that this was more important. Both men stared at me, waiting for me to start this conversation.

"I'm sorry for pushing you about, well you know," I said awkwardly. Malfoy stared at me with one eyebrow raised. I didn't like that and changed my tone a bit. "But now is the right time and I want to know why Malfoy? Why do you care?"

He glanced away as he ran a hand through his hair. He bit his lip and it caught my attention. His bottom lip was a tad fuller than the top one. He cleared his throat twice before looking up at me. "I cared because for some reason I came to like you years ago. I hated you. But I also liked you. I think it was before the third year when you punched me that it kind of knocked some senses into me. Nobody had ever laid a hand on me before then and it was a shock that a slip of girl would dare touch me."

He sighed and leaned back against the armchair, "I don't know exactly when it all changed. I just knew that by then we were on either side of the war. You, who was part of the Golden Trio, I couldn't dream to touch. I was fighting for my family in the war. I believed what they wanted me to believe. And yet you always proved them wrong. Every single time. I once said that to my mother and she just told me to stay quiet and to never speak of it with father. I learned early on that father would never change."

He growled as he sat up straight to look at me, "I'm filled with guilt of what I didn't do and what I should have done. Yet, I couldn't. I was weak and a coward. It doesn't excuse anything that I said or did. Especially to Potter and you."

I looked down as I tried making sense of what he just said. I looked up at Nott who had moved up behind Malfoy and leaned his hip against the armchair. Malfoy's eyes looked distant and glazed as he stared past me. Probably lost in his own personal hell. I got up and it seemed to snap him out of his daze. Moving towards him, I sat down on the table in front of him and hesitantly reached for his arm that bore the Dark Mark.

He held himself stiffly and watched with cautious eyes. "Did you think that it would end with so many deaths? We never once thought about the other side. We only knew about Snape but only because Harry and I saw the memories aside from Dumbledore and Kingsley. We didn't ever think about the fact that you were all children as well and did what you all could do to stay alive." I raised the sleeve of the jumper and brushed the mark lightly. He didn't flinch but he did become stiffer.

I looked up at Nott and nodded at him to sit as well. He moved to the armchair next to the table and watched me with silent but clear eyes. He wasn't occluding like he was before. Malfoy had dropped his the moment I had touched him. Mine were held in tight but I let some of my emotions slip out slightly. I was dealing with Slytherins.

I grabbed his arm too but left mine on Malfoy. He bore the mark too. I touched it lightly and the muscles in his arms jumped. "I honestly never thought that I would willingly sit in a room with both of you without insults being thrown. I had a crush on you," I said as I looked up at Nott. He raised an eyebrow in question but remained silent, "I did. You never hung out with the others and was always alone. It reminded me of myself actually." I gave them a small smile before letting them go.

I turned back to Malfoy who had been staring at me the whole time with a bit of hope in his eyes. "Being bitten by Greyback in partial human form has made a whole lot of changes. It literally amplifies your emotions by ten. That's why I was pushing you so hard to answer me. It's not an actual wolf inside of me but I do have some very wolf-like tendencies. Like right now. I can hear each of your heart's thumping. I can smell everything more clearly as well. Like right now. Parkinson's perfume is on both of you." I said as I gave them a hard stare.

Knowing that I was overreacting did not change the feeling of betrayal that was coursing through me. We hadn't had an agreement or anything of that sort. And yet…

Malfoy's body became still and he gave me a searching look, "She came in to talk to us. I have always been close to her. Even before Hogwarts." I forced myself not to glare as I stared down at my nails. Which all of a sudden became a bit sharper than before. "I never dated her. Or shagged her. I kissed her, yes, but it didn't mean anything. It was all for show, for our parents and anybody paying attention to us. She actually likes somebody else but she never told us who."

"I wasn't close to her so I never really had anything to do with her," Nott said as he raised his hand to tug at a curl that that had slowly started to make its way out of the bun. I should have pulled away but I didn't. I wanted his touch. Something in me was pulling me towards both of them it wasn't totally unwelcome.

Malfoy shifted his body towards me, "I don't know if this will work. It's not the best timing, we don't know how it would work between all three of us but I want to try. I don't deserve you and I know that. Many people will condemn you regardless of the fact that you are a war hero. One is bad enough but two," he shook his head and glanced up at me before looking back down, "I don't think you actually know me very well regardless of what you have seen or heard. I was a prat when I was younger but it all started to change fourth year. Things changed for the worst. Father had returned to serving HIM. Mother and I had no choice but to follow him."

I lifted my hand towards his cheek, "None of us had a choice. Harry was raised like a pig for slaughter, Ron's family had already fought in the first war and now was also being dragged into another. I was the one always making sure they didn't die," I pulled away from both of them and stared at the door, "I sent my parents away for their safety while I became a fugitive of the law with two of my best friends. Ron lost almost half of his family, Harry doesn't have any family left anymore. Believe me when I say that they wouldn't care who I end up with."

I kept staring at the door, knowing that I didn't silence the room since two others would come up here to ask me what I was doing in here with two Slytherins. "They just want me happy and safe. I can't really say that you four will ever be the best mates or anything like that. You have to understand that they will always be around me. We hold each other together even if it's painful."

I glanced at Nott who had also been staring at the door. "I understand. You really have no reason to trust us. But I'll admit that I do feel something for you. I don't know how to put it into words." Nott said as he got up and walked towards the door. He opened and it to reveal Harry and Ron. Ron looked past him and towards me while Harry stared Nott down.

"Are you sure about this?" Ron asked as he pushed Harry aside and walked around Nott to kneel in front of me. I stood up and made him get up. Holding both of his hands I pulled him towards me, "I want to do this. I think the bite just made gave me a little push towards them. At first, I was only going to ignore this and blamed it on the fact that I was living with them but it wasn't. Believe me when I say that this is what I want."

Ron lost some of the anger in his gaze as he stared into my eyes. I felt him lightly prob my mind and I let him in. I didn't speak but I did let him feel my emotions. It wasn't something I ever did with anybody else except with Harry and him. Mother couldn't talk back to me but sometimes she would call my name if I ever did enter her mind.

Ron nodded once and looked over my head to Malfoy. "Don't you ever hurt her. I understand couples fight but if she ever comes to me or Harry crying I will find out why and who. I'm not the weak weasel you thought me once to be. I WILL hurt you."

I could feel Draco's breath over the top of my head as he replied, "I don't plan to." he said firmly. Nott had walked back and now stood a little to the side of me and gave Ron a flat stare. Harry came up beside Ron as he glanced at the others.

I felt trapped but not scared. Far from scared actually. I felt safe but wary since I knew that this man really didn't like each other. Harry met my gaze as I gave him a slight smile.

I nodded towards Ron, meaning I wanted out before he said something else. Harry gave me a small smile as he grabbed Ron by the shoulder and pulled him away from me. They both left the room but not before Harry shot me a look over his shoulder. He would talk to me a later.

Once we were alone in the room I turned back to them. "I'll say this outright. I don't know if the bite will change me more than it already has. I was never much of a jealous type. I was a bit upset over the whole Lavender thing back then but it wasn't enough for me to actually want to hurt her. Earlier I wanted to physically hurt Parkinson."

Nott startled me when he smiled down at me, "I saw that." His smile transformed his whole face and made me take notice of his full lips. He never really smiled so I took the moment to just stare at him. Draco gave a small gruff laugh as he shifted closer towards me. "I didn't notice until I moved towards her and Pansy told me that you were looking like you wanted to kill her."

I laughed as I lightly pushed him. It didn't move him one bit. He looked down at me with a raised eyebrow, "Was that supposed to move me?" I rolled my eyes. It was so easy to act normal around this two. Nott pulled me towards him and I glanced up at him. He was so much taller than me and just a tad taller than Malfoy. "So does this make me your girlfriend?" I asked.

Malfoy set his hand on my hip and gave it a slight squeeze. "I have never been the jealous type either. I haven't actually dated but I have kissed several girls. But none ever made me feel anything. But I'll admit that over the years I have gotten a bit bothered with they way you always hanged out with Potter and Weasley."

He moved closer so that I could feel his chest pressed up into my back. I realized that I was pressed up against them both and it didn't make me panic. I actually wanted them to touch me more. Nott stared down at me with heated eyes, "We just need to figure out how we are going to do this. I never actually thought about a trio relationship. It will be hard to since we don't know each other that well."

I nodded, "I know. If somebody would have told me two years ago that I would be willingly going into a relationship with not one but two Slytherins I would have Avada them." I honestly didn't know if this would work but I had a feeling that this is what where I belonged.

It wasn't going to be easy.

\/\/\/

The story might be near the end...maybe.

Idk but I do know that the story writes itself. I wanted to make it longer but I don't want to add unnecessary stuff to it. I'm already thinking of another story but with a different ship.

Thanks for all the follows and Favs! I love hearing from you all! :)

Vane


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer; since people flip out if you don't say that. J.K Rowling is the owner, nobody else could have done what she did and is doing. An amazing author who wrote the HP Series that gave us life.

\/\/\/

Chapter 16

(Month Later, Jan.1999)

A whole month had gone by with no sight of the Death Eaters. It had Harry and the rest on edge. I was on edge for a whole other reason.

Things with Mal-Draco and Theo had been moving slowly. Draco was different from what I had thought he would be like. He hadn't joked about being filled with guilt over everything that had happened. Occasionally he would get in a dark mood and not talk to anybody. N-Theo had told me to leave it alone. Sometimes you had to do it alone. I knew that far too well.

Theo was different as well. He wouldn't talk as much as Draco but when he did it was to make a flat sarcastic remark or just a couple of words. His eyes gave him away though. He would just brush against my mind and his feelings would become clear.

At the moment I was playing bait with Draco and Theo as well as Snape. I remember telling Harry about and having him glare menacingly at me. He hadn't liked it but after a week he had brought it up again. Draco turned out to be the one with the temper while Theo had simply said no like he wasn't going to argue with me and what he said was law.

It was the one thing that brought Harry and Ron as well as Draco and Theo together. Otherwise, they would just ignore each other. Which was a bit better than them shouting at each other?

I glanced at Draco who was casually looking around Diagon Alley as we headed towards Leaky Cauldron with Snape and Theo behind us. I had done a bit of browsing in Flourish and Blotts with the men.

Snape had picked up books on Positions while the boys just followed me around the shop. I had made them stay behind with Snape while I had gone deeper into the shop. When we had left I had thought that I had seen somebody waiting across the street in between the two buildings. But when I turned slightly I hadn't seen anybody.

I hadn't told the men but knowing Snape, he would have seen it as well. Being a spy for more than twenty years would make anybody and expert in spying. We were now walking down the cobblestone street and trying to act like weren't actually hunting for the Death Eaters. We were supposed to be tempting them out in the open.

Harry should be heading home right now with Ron. They were told to give it a rest for today since they have been working non-stop for weeks now. But he was waiting for my word about another matter entirely.

The lot of them were actually stopping to stare at us. Two war heroes and two ex-Death Eaters. Many had their displeasure and disgust out while others gawked at me. I paid them no mind but Mal-Draco's jaw ticked in irritation.

I sighed and tucked my hand into his elbow. He startled slightly and glance down at me; completely forgetting of the stares directed at us. "Granger, I don't think you should be doing that." I frowned but glanced back at the people staring at us, "I don't care about what they are saying. You're my boyfriend as well as Theo. It bothers me that their staring is making you mad."

He sighed as he glanced back at Nott, "Being a war hero will not save you from this. Talking to us is fine. Touching me is scandalous in their eyes." he said as he turned his gaze forward again. His jaw wasn't ticking anymore but he did place his hand over mine. It gave me a slight fuzzy feeling in my stomach.

I looked back at Nott who was totally ignoring everybody and was staring at my backside. It was snowing but I hadn't wanted to wear a large cloak since it would get in the way if I decided to go after somebody so I had jeans and a thick jumper with a leather jacket I had been given by Viktor for Christmas. I wasn't even going to acknowledge what Iskra gave me.

He glanced up at me and his gaze was heated but a bit flushed. I sometimes forgot that even if he acted like a grown man he was still a teenager. He was prone to stare at me if I did something or dressed in a certain way. Draco was different in that way. I had heard stories of him and other girls, of stories so ridiculous that they could only be false. Draco didn't do any of that stuff. He actually didn't do ANYTHING of that sort.

Nothing.

I had started to wonder if he even felt anything at all. I had asked Theo but he said was, "Ask him." No help there with that man.

We went through the Leaky Cauldron and out into the muggle world. Normal people passed by us with no care in the world. Most were heading home from work while others were getting ready to head to their late night shifts. Nobody stared at us like they had before. We were regular people minding our own business.

The cloaks the men wore didn't stand out since many were wearing the same thing. I had told Theo and Draco to use cloaks since the Robes would stand out. They hadn't' argued with me and had done as I had told them.

We headed towards an alley so that we could apparate back to Grimland place. Snape apparated to the Ministry instead to speak with Kingsley leaving me and the others alone. I stared up at them, "Head back. I have to go somewhere else right now." They both gave me grim looks. They weren't happy about the change of plans.

Neither one of them looked happy about it but I was a powerful witch and I could take care of myself.

Theo leaned down towards me and whispered, "Don't get into trouble. Or else." His gruff voice sent slight shivers down my back and he gave me a light kiss on my forehead and apparated out with a loud crack. The relationship between both of us was slightly different than what I had with Draco. Theo did as he wanted and didn't shy away from anything. Except they both were not making a move like I wished they would.

I turned towards Malfoy who was leaning against the wall and had his gaze firmly on me. I couldn't read his eyes and I wanted to roll my eyes at him. He was occluding whatever he was feeling. He did that a lot. Just not normally around me.

I walked over to him and waited until he focused on me before speaking. He stared past my head, "Where. Are. You. Going." he asked as he finally focused his gaze on me. His eyes were flat as well as his voice. I narrowed my eyes and almost bristled at his tone.

Sometimes, like right now, he would let his temper escape through the cracks in his shield and occluding only made it worst. It had only been a month of 'dating' him that I had figured what pushed his buttons. Like right now, the moment I had changed my tone he back off knowing he had bitten more than what he could chew.

"I'm not some common fluzzy you can command. I won't obey you like those other girls." I said as I glared up at him. He froze as he stared down at me. I had knocked the fight out of him. But I was now the one pissed off.

I still hadn't gotten the hang of it so it was a bit harder not to snap at him or just kiss him. We hadn't kissed yet. A light peck on the forehead or on the cheek was about as far as we had gone. It was frustrating, to say the least. We haven't told anybody about us three but we knew they suspected. Especially both mothers.

Lately, I have been experiencing flashes of heat but I hadn't said anything. Although, I had noticed how Remus and Bill stayed clear of me.

I had read several books on female werewolves but it only said that fully turned female werewolves went into heat twice a year. It didn't say anything else since no actual female had ever stepped up to claim truly to it. I had wanted to ask Lavender but she had left to France with her family. She couldn't function with so many people judging her.

The other children that had been bitten hadn't said anything about hot flashes so they must not be mature enough. Werewolves aged a tad slower than Wizards so the maturity age hit somewhere from late teens to their early twenties. I had already turned twenty when Greyback had bitten me. I wasn't a true werewolf so I had not known if it applied to me.

Until now that is.

Draco was still staring down at me but his eyes didn't seem so blank anymore. I leaned closer to him and watched his mouth part silently. I stopped as soon as my nose touched his. His eyes had widened at my approach.

I felt his breath on my lips and I wanted to moan at that feeling alone. His eyes grew heated as he stared down at my lips. His hot breath made small puffs in the cold air. I had forgotten all about the snow, especially with this type of heat to keep me warm.

I licked my lower lip and watched his eyes follow the movement. I was about to lean forward to meet his lips when a loud shout rang out from the entrance to the alley. "What a slag. Getting frisky in the alleyway. Who does that?"

I stiffened and turned towards the voice of the woman. She reminded me of Harry's dead aunt. Prim and proper with a stick up her arse. I flicked her off as she moved on and stepped away from Draco, who had also moved away from me and was now glaring at the spot the woman hand been standing at.

He turned slightly towards me, "Don't be late." He apparated away with a flash, leaving me alone in the alley. I was so frustrated I almost kicked the large trash can against the wall. I closed my eyes and apparated away.

Landing on soft snow near a small pond with a small boat on it, I looked around and saw a large three story house. I had only been here two other times. It was the manor of Nina Duncan. It had been the very place that her parents had been murdered.

Her mother had been a pureblood and her father a half-blood. She had been an only child since her mother stopped trying for more children after so many fails. Nina had been late in life baby.

I walked up to the door and felt the slight tug as I passed through it. I knocked once and Nina opened the door in seconds. She was wearing all black and it would have shocked me but I had already seen her dressed similarly before.

She smiled at me and nodded me forward, "I already told you to come in whenever you get here." I gave her a grin as we headed towards the kitchen.

"I know, believe me, I next time I'll just barge right in." She grabbed several pieces of parchment, "This came in this morning. They have tried going back to the black market but even the people there want nothing to do with them. They had taken unicorn blood to a buyer but it they were recognized and fled, leaving behind the unicorn blood." I went over the names of the people on the list.

Goyle's Gringotts account had been closed and the gold now belonged to the orphans of the war. He had to be desperate for money. We had been keeping track of the other pureblood families but none have come forward about being contacted.

"Iskra said the same thing. She should be here any moment actually." As soon as I said that the door banged open and in strolled Iskra. She gave me a cocky smile, "I ran into Severus at the Ministry. Agh, that man's voice makes me melt! Even when he's telling me to leave him alone."

I sighed, "One day he's going to take you on and you will run for the hills." She laughed loudly as she tugged one of my curls, "I wish he would. I want to get hot and heavy with that man. I have always been attracted to older men."

Nina gave a snort as she passed us soda drinks. I grimaced, I didn't like soda. They both laughed at my expression. Iskra sat down on top of the table as she looked over the papers I had sat down.

She frowned, "This one wasn't on the list. It's a really small market that is in the middle of a muggle market. It's almost too easy to be spotted. The market is too small not to be noticed. It's mostly beasts that are traded there."

Iskra passed me the paper and pointed at it. "Kappel Market is the official name of it. Not many people go to it. It's dangerous to have a market in the middle of a muggle one. It's supposed to shut down sometime in the next year." I frowned, that didn't make sense.

I grabbed the other papers and slid them into an envelope. I wrote Harry's name on the front and used Nina's owl to send it to Harry. He should be home right now so he should get it in twenty minutes or so. He was probably still dressed in his work clothes. Iskra was already putting her long straight black hair into a high ponytail while Nina was getting us cloaks.

Nina might own the baby store but it was only because she didn't want to leave it to somebody else. It was her only connection to her deceased family. Seeing her out of the bright apron and into black clothes was a bit different.

I hadn't known she worked with the whores in Knockturn Alley. She gave them stuff for the kids that they have and sometimes can't feed or clothe. I had seen her heading there months ago and hadn't said anything. Just gave her extra money every week to help them. Most of those kids ended up in an orphanage so she headed there some days.

I slid the cloak on and adjusted the wand holster on my wrist. I had slipped a knife Mother had given me into my boots earlier so if I lost my wand I could defend myself. She didn't know that the wand was just for show. Only Harry and Ron knew. Dumbledore might have known but I never asked him.

The twinkle in his eyes had always grown whenever he ever saw using magic. I remember feeling a slight prob from before. He might have picked up on it then.

Iskra grabbed both of us and apparated us near a tall muggle building. It looked abandoned and run down. We could hear a distant chatter and loud laughing coming from the right. Iskra pulled her hood up and we followed her example.

It was snowing a bit harder now and night was creeping up on us. We could see lanterns in the distance. Nina got behind me while Iskra led the way into the small market. There weren't many people but most of them were near a large fire in the middle of all the stalls and small buildings. We could faintly hear dogs and other animals in the market.

Iskra led us to the far back of one particular stall with an old lady sitting against a wooden wall. She was petting a chicken which looked dead. She didn't glance at us and instead turned away from us as she curled her brittle body around the dead chicken. Iskra pulled out her wand and made a circle on the wooden wall near hip level. It slowly turned into a doorknob and the wood cracked into the size of a door. She pushed it open and walked through. I followed closely with Nina in tow.

It looked almost the same except for the large tent that should have had fabric to create the tent but instead, it was made of steel. There were three large rows filled with stalls and mini tents made of steel as well. Not all of the stalls were used.

The ones that were being used were near the center of the large tent. None of the wizards were paying attention to us so we cautiously moved forward. As we made our way towards the small crowded we felt something pass through our bodies and all of a sudden it all of the people disappeared and only six figures were left in it.

Nina gasped and grabbed my arm, "That girl was the one that gave me the list of places they had been seen in. I'm sorry. I didn't know she was working with them."

I shrugged slightly as I pulled away from her touch without meaning to, "Nobody would have known, Nina, even I hadn't suspected." Iskra laughed as she flipped her ponytail over her shoulder. "I really wanted to fight somebody today and Merlin answered me." The smile faded from her gaze as she pushed her hood back. Her eyes had taken on a crazy glint in them, "I have far more practice than Nina and you, Hemi."

I gave a loud snort and pushed my hood back as well, "I learned a thing or two Issy, but they have been working on their 'skill' since they left Hogwarts. Which was years ago? Except for two of them one of which I taught myself in my fifth year along with Harry."

Nina pushed her hood back and glared at her informant, "I really want to hurt her." I watched as the figures moved towards, "Well we better get to it since Harry will be any minute."

All three of us spread out and waited until all they stopped a couple of feet away from us. Dolohov had his wand out and was waving it around as he leered at us. His gaze stopped on me and he grinned, "Hello, pretty little mudblood."

\/\/\/

Hey!

Lol, who do you think the girl is? Things are going to get a bit steamy in the next chapter or so.

(nerdy-girl-universe: The trio relationship is about to get better! :)Thanks for the comment!

(Elizabtherose1974: I might make it a bit longer since I truly have several ideas for this story. The smut is on the way! ;)

(Snowflake Dazzle: I hoped the convo lived up to your expectation. It was a little hard to put it together since the relationship is complicated. Your welcome!:D

(ArielNicholas913: I was excited to finally begin their relationship! I wanted to do it earlier but I felt like this was better. :)


	17. Chapter 17

Go to the previous 16 chapters and find out the truth. I say it every time. It's not mine.

\/\/\/

Chapter 17

(Same Night)

I gave him a slight sneer that would have made Salazar Slytherin himself proud. "I see you have no master now, Dolohov." As soon as I said that his face transformed into an ugly sneer of his own, "I should have killed you when I had the chance."

Nina and Iskra fell back beside me as Rowle and Yaxley spread out to the sides. I didn't pay attention to them. To the side stood the coward Mundungus Fletcher, he turned away from my burning gaze and stared at the floor. He knew what would have happened the moment he chose to help them. Ignoring him completely would be fine. He would turn tail and run the minute things got nasty.

I looked past Dolohov and towards Marietta Edgecombe. She had cut her reddish blonde curls into a bob like Parkinson used to have. With bangs to hide her mark as a traitor. Which she was living up to now.

I raised an eyebrow at her, "I was always right about you. The mark totally speaks for you." Marietta growled, "Shut your trap slag," she changed her expression and gave me an unhinged smile, "You don't stand a chance against us. A dyke and a whore lover don't make such a good fighting companions. You fell for the trap we set you like a stupid Gryffindor."

Not even reacting to the whole Gryffindor thing, I raised my wand towards her, "I was the one that made that jinx you know. It wasn't Harry." Marietta gasped before a maniacal look came into her eyes, "I'll enjoy killing you!" She ran towards me, pushing Dolohov to the side as she ran towards me with her wand out.

I didn't even blink as she made her way towards me and waited until she was a couple of feet away from me before flicking my wand at her.

Her body snap to a stop and her face froze in shock before her whole body was flung to the side. It hit a large steel pole and fell with a loud smack to the floor. A loud crack was heard but I didn't look in her direction and instead stared at Goyle who snarled and would have run towards me as well if Dolohov hadn't grabbed his neck.

I glanced away from both of them for a second to look at Marietta's still body, it should have concerned me that she wasn't moving and could likely be dead but I wasn't. I didn't know how that mad eme feel so I pushed back my mental shield.

"Forget her, there are much more cunts out in the world. No need to get killed over that one," Dolohov gave a nasty laugh, "I told you not to underestimate her. I don't know the other two but this one isn't a weak little cunt." He sounded way to confident. Something wasn't right, it wasn't adding up. I froze when four other figures appeared behind him.

One of them seemed vaguely familiar. It took me a second but I saw his fangs flash threateningly at us. Sanguini, he had been at the Slug Club Christmas Party. I hadn't spoken to him but he had followed me with his eyes through the night.

There was another with the same black circles in his eyes. Behind them were to hooded figures that were slightly shorter than them. Dolohov laughed loudly, "You didn't think it was just we did you? Many of Lord Voldemort's followers fled that day but I have found some of them still willing to fight. But there is three that betrayed your side." I frowned at his words. Marietta had already been considered a traitor but who else.

Iskra gave a streak of blue curses as she shifted around, "Fucking cunt is playing with us. Get it on already." I pushed her slightly back. I wanted him to talk as much as possible. We needed to know who else had betrayed us.

I did gasp than when one of the hooded figures threw back its hood. Standing slightly behind both vampires stood Susan Bones. It was Amelia Bone's daughter, who had gone to school with us. It didn't make sense. None of it did. Why would she have done that?

Susan leaned up against Sanguinis side and gazed up at him lovingly. When she moved her head slightly one could see the two puncture marks on her throat. It was circled with a large purple bruise. She paid us no mind as she gazed up at the vampire who ignored her and instead was eyeing Nina with a hungry glint in his gaze.

Dolohov still laughed as he clapped Goyle on the back, "It is time for a new Dark Lord to arise and it would look very encouraging in the eyes of the old purebloods if I walked into the Ministry with the head of Hermione Granger, war hero, and filthy mudblood." I wanted to sneer at that. The only thing he would get from that was an instant kiss from a dementor or even killed by Harry himself.

Iskra gave a snort as Rowle moved closer and she cursed him. I turned towards Dolohov and Goyle who had also moved forward. Iskra gave a mad laugh as her body became invisible. Nina moved towards Goyle but Sanguini moved really fast and got in front of her. I moved to help her but Yaxley came up behind Nina and towards me.

Shite, I was surrounded by three Death Eaters. The other vampire that had been beside Sanguini had moved towards Rowle since Iskra had somehow stunned him.

I moved back so that I wouldn't get surrounded but Goyle gave me a sneer as he moved up behind me. My nails sharpened and my hearing suddenly became so acute it was nearly painful. I glanced up when I saw Dolohov raise his wand up.

I blinked and the next thing I knew I was right behind him with my claws plunged into his chest. He screamed loudly and I could barely hear him through the roaring in my ears. I heard Goyle snarl as he hurled a curse at my body.

I flipped Dolohov so he took the curse instead. Yaxley was sending curse after curse but none hit me. I dropped Dolohov and rolled towards the floor as Yaxley and Goyle's curse hit the spot I had just been at. I grabbed my wand that I had dropped and touched it to the floor, "Incarcerous Colloshoo," I whispered past the large roar in my ears. Both of their feet suddenly glued to the floor and large ropes slithered up their bodies.

Goyle gave a loud shout and dropped his wand while Yaxley saw what I had done and burned the ropes attached him. He waved his wand again as I jumped to my feet. I was about to take his wand when something dug into my side.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I can't let you do that." I snarled in surprise, the voice belonged to Cho Chang. What?

I looked down and saw her wand poking my side and I almost smiled if it weren't for the shock of finding out the last betrayer. Yaxley ignored Goyle and moved towards me. I looked around me to see that Iskra was now visible and was fight alongside Nina with the two vampires.

I slumped against Cho and it caused her to gasp as she fumbled with her wand. I raked my claws across her face and pushed her. She screamed as she fell. Ignoring her I turned towards Yaxley who had been advancing on me with a smirk on his stopped suddenly.

His face froze on a look of total surprise. I glanced down and saw a large gash appear on near his stomach. All of his entrails spilled out onto the floor and he slumped on the floor. Something invisible blurred behind him before appearing.

Harry stood there with his wand pointing downward. The roaring in my ears calmed down as I slowly looked around. Iskra was yelling and being yelled at by Snape while Nina was leaning against one of the steel poles holding her arm which seemed to be broken. I saw the two bodies of the vampires on the side. Each had a pool of blood surrounding their heads.

I looked down at myself and almost jumped in surprise. There was so much blood on me. I touched it with my finger. It was really warm.

I felt a slight breeze enter the room and saw two black mist moved towards us. I almost attacked it if it hadn't been for the fact that I felt both Draco and Theo brush against my mind lightly. They dropped two bodies onto the floor. It was Mundungus Fletcher and Susan Bones.

I stepped back and almost stumbled before catching myself. It was Cho Chang. She was curled up into a fetal position and clutching her face as she mumbled into the floor.

Harry glanced past me and towards her. His face grew slack and his eyes widened, "What happened?" I looked past and at Iskra and Nina who were both staring at me as well. "All hell broke loose is what happened." Iskra laughed, "More like Hemi went berserk." I glared at her. She had been the bloodthirsty one.

Ron ran in with other Auror's as well as Kingsley and Amelia Bones. Susan started to sob as she stared at Sanguini's body. Amelia gasped at the sight of her daughter before turning to look straight at me, "What is she doing here?" she asked in a clipped tone.

Harry was about to move towards me but Theo and Draco pushed past everybody and stood on either side of me. I watched with mixed feelings as Ron gave me a long look and moved over to Harry. Both who looked at me and to either man beside me. I wanted to say something to them but Amelia made a sharp sound with her heel that irritated my sensitive hearing.

"Susan became a blood bag for Sanguini. She has been slipping them information from you to them. Marietta…" I continued on with the events that happened here and watched as Amelia became paler with every word. Auror's went around the room cleaning and taking the bodies out of the tent.

Draco and Theo never once moved away from me but I occasionally felt Draco tense up. Harry and Ron just stared at me as I spoke. Something in their eyes kept me going. Iskra left as soon as she got done talking to Kingsley and Snape. She took Nina as well, probably to a healer.

"...That's when Harry appeared and took care of Yaxley."I said. Amelia was stood staring at me for a second longer before pointing her wand at her daughter, "Legilimens." Susan stopped crying, her gaze becoming glazed over as her mother slipped into her thoughts.

Theo places his hand on my hip and nudged me towards the entrance. Everybody else left both mother and daughter alone. As we made our way outside I glanced down at my hands which had both Dolohov and Cho's blood on them. The blood was drying rapidly so it looked darker, more sinister.

Harry had enough of staying away and grabbed my bloody hand and pulled me into his chest. His heart was pumping furiously in his chest. I wrapped both arms around him and confronted him. "I'm fine. I knew what I was getting into when I came here." I watched the snow gather over us both slowly. The wind picked up and I shivered.

His arms tighten as his lips brushed my ear, "I know. I know." I glanced to the side to see Ron who was facing away from us. His shoulders taut and fist clenched.

He apparated without a word to us. Harry pulled away as he looked over to where Ron had been. "I'll meet you back at home. Your mother went over to Andromeda's. Teddy and Remus should be there as well. Termaine insisted that Parkinson and Zabini be taken there too since she didn't want them to stay alone while everybody was gone. Your mother doesn't know but you should tell her."

He didn't look back at Draco or Theo as he turned away from me and apparated. I let out a large sigh and turned towards the two men who were both glaring down at me. Shite, they had specifically had told me not to me late and not get into trouble.

I grabbed both of their hands and apparated us straight to their room. We landed with a loud crack and I let go of them as I walked towards the bathroom door next to the bed. I heard them follow me but paused as I took off the leather jacket that was soaked in blood. I turned on the lanterns and slid off the thick jumper leaving me in a white long sleeve shirt.

I turned the taps on and watched the tub fill with warm water. Theo was the first one to walk in and I watched him through the mirror. He stopped behind me as he grabbed the bottom of the shirt. He pulled it up and I automatically raised my arms up to help him pull it off. I used my wand to vanish the blood from my body.

Draco stayed by the door and stared at both of us as Theo helped me undress. He kept his gaze on my body as he gripped the door frame. I turned enlarged the tub to fit more than one person and saw Draco swallow hard. Theo began to undress as I stood there in my underwear.

I was about to ask us to join us when a large wave of heat raced through my body. I gasped and bent over in half. Theo dropped his shirt and grabbed me before I slipped onto the floor. Draco moved towards me and stood the side of me, "What's wrong? Do you need a healer?" I shook my head as leaned onto Theo.

"It's something I should have told you both before but didn't," I bite my lip as a large wave of lust slid through my body. I resisted the urge to rub against Theo. His scent reached my nose it almost made me moan out loud, it was full of sexual need, "I recently have had this urges to um have sex. I didn't understand why at first but I did read something about full female werewolves going into heat twice a year. I think I'm starting my heat cycle now." I heard Theo curse harshly, "You should have said something before."

I nodded, "I know. But I thought that it wouldn't get this bad." The wave of lust finally calmed down enough so that I could stand on my own. Draco was staring down at me with a bit of lust in his gray eyes. I pulled away from Theo and took my bra off. Draco struggled not to look down at my bare chest while Theo's hands slowly slid up my stomach and towards my breast.

Draco looked down at Theo's hands and fisted his hands tightly. Theo teased the underside of my breast and it made me flush with need. I pushed my underwear down and Draco closed his eyes as his nostrils flared. His scent and Theo's surrounded me, making me dizzy with so much arousal in the air.

"I don't want to do this just because you're going into heat. I had wanted to wait for you to be ready for both of us." Draco said as he opened his eyes and seared me with his heated gaze.

I lifted one leg into the tube, giving them both a glimpse of my quim. "I see. I was already growing frustrated with the fact that neither one of you would kiss me other than a small peck on the cheek," I sat down in the middle of the tube and sighed as the water slid over my body. It felt a lot more sensual than it should have. "I was already going to do something about when the heat just pushed it a lot sooner than I thought it would."

I looked up at Theo who was watching my breast bob in the water. He took the rest of his clothes off and I finally got a good look at his cock. It was thick and long, it had foreskin covering the head but as I kept watching it pulled back a bit revealing the tip of his cock. It was a bit red around the crown and it flared out.

Theo stepped in and sat down on me and his thighs surrounded me as he pulled me against his chest. I could feel his shaft rub between my cheeks and I squirmed as I tried getting it between my thighs.

Draco's breath hitched as he watched us and his face flushed as I stared into his eyes as Theo raised his hands directly onto my breast.

"Well, are you going to join us?" Theo asked as I arched my chest into his hands.

\/\/\/

...Well..there you go! Don't worry, they aren't really going to do anything...yet.

(ArielNicholas913): It is a slow pace so the next chapter might surprise you. Iskra is my soul animal, I love people like her! ;)

(Elizabethrose1974): I was actually going to make Ginny the bad one but I have plans for her. I have maybe four or so chapters more. :D

Vane


	18. Chapter 18

J.K Rowlings created our home (HP) so even now we return to it. I'm just here to show you my imagination conjured up using her world.

\/\/\/

Chapter 18

(That bathroom scene…)

Draco stared at me with such heat in his eyes that I felt scorched to the bone. It didn't help that Theo palmed my breast in front of Draco who's eyes stared intently at them.

Draco swallowed hard, "Either way, I don't want to take you while you're in heat. At least not the first time I bed you." I wanted to smile at that. It totally knocked away any rumor from Hogwarts of him sleeping around. Theo gave a small sigh, "I feel the same way. But it doesn't mean we can't learn a bit about you."

Theo hands left my breast and slid his hands down my body, stopping at my hips. He pushed me forward so I slid deliciously across his lap until I felt my bottom touch the tub. He let go of me but only to grab my shoulders and push me back into his chest. The water slid up my body and stopped to just right under my chin. The water was clear so anybody looking could see the curls between my legs and my hard nipples.

I looked up as Draco moved towards the tub and transfigured a stool beside it. He slid his sleeves up and didn't once look down at the dark mark on his skin. He slid his hands into the water as stared into my eyes. He licked his lips, "Can I touch you?"

Instead of answering I grabbed his hand and pulled it below the water and towards my left breast. He watched as I set it on it and moved my hand away. He bit his lip as he lightly rubbed against my nipple. "You have freckles on your shoulders, Hermione," Theo said as gave me a kiss on said place.

I arched my back as both of them pulled my nipples at the same time. "Ahh, yeah, I have many all over my body." Both men twisted my flesh and I almost gave a shout filled with pleasure/pain. I bit my lip as Draco left my breast and skimmed his hand down towards my hips and lightly brushed my hip bone.

He hesitated for a second before brushed the curls. I closed my eyes at he dipped his finger between my folds. Theo grabbed both of my breasts and was pulled and rubbing at my nipples. I squirmed and tried not to tremble from pleasure.

The room was quiet except for the sound of water lapping against the tub and my loud and fast breathing. Theo was so silent to the point where I thought that he wasn't' affected. He seemed to sense my thoughts and slid me back farther back up so I was partially on his lap. His cock lodged between my opened thighs. I gasped and opened up further. Draco took advantage and slid one finger down my slit. I bite my bottom lip but a low moan escaped past my lips. It only seems to make Draco bolder and Theo pulse between my legs.

Draco brushed against my clit, shooting large amounts of pleasure and making me tense. I grabbed the sides of the tub which brought the tops of my breast out or the water. The water lapped at my nipples and the air made them harder to the point of pain.

Theo used both hands to lightly touched them but not really giving me enough pressure like I wanted him to. I gave a loud groan of sexual frustration and Draco pinched my clit between his fingers.

I jumped and slid down Theo's cock. Theo gave a small moan which almost undid me then and there. I stared at Draco with heavy lidded eyes as he slid his hand further down between my legs and to my opening. He glanced up at me before sliding one finger in. I lifted my hips to meet his finger which only pushed it further in. He added another finger and it almost hurled me into an orgasm.

I completely closed my eyes as he slid his finger in and out of my quim. The water sloshed against the tub walls which only made the water slid over my nipples along with the rhythm of Theo's hands. The combination of this sensations threw me over the edge just as the next wave of heat hit me.

I screamed as I pulsed around Draco's fingers. I could faintly hear Theo give a loud groan and Draco moan through the roaring in my ears.

Slumping back against Theo who wasn't as hard as he had been and looked at Draco who still had his fingers inside of me. Draco was slumped forward as he tried getting control of himself. I gasped as he slowly slid out of my quim and watched him stare at his fingers before glancing at me.

I stared at him in almost a challenging way, daring him to do it. He watched me with half lidded eyes as he slid his fingers into his mouth.

He closed his eyes for a second as he tasted my juices. It almost made me want to convince them that it was fine by me if they decided to take me here instead of waiting. Theo nudged me forward and grabbed the bar of soap next to us. He lathered up his hands before he started to gently wash my body.

Draco leaned forward and opened the bottle of shampoo and gently started to wash my hair. Neither one of us spoke but it wasn't an awkward silence. It was comfortable in ways neither one of us could describe.

Once there were done washing me, Theo picked me up and Draco dried the three of us with his wand. Theo brought us into the bedroom and gently sat me on the bed as Draco grabbed a shirt that I could put on. Both of them changed into soft pajama bottoms as I slid the shirt on. It was slightly long enough to cover my backside.

I crawled up the bed and pulled the covers back before sliding underneath. I turned around to see both men standing at the foot of the bed with their pajama bottoms hanging low on their hips. I patted either side of me and Theo moved forward and slid in without saying a word.

Draco stared at me, "It feels right being here with both of you but also so out of place." I curled up into Theo's side and gave Draco a soft smile, "I know what you mean." Theo tucked his face into my hair and only nodded once.

Draco walked to my left and raised the covers before sliding in. He stared down at me before leaning forward and giving a kiss. He pulled away far too soon and curled up into me. Both men wrapped me up in their arms before falling asleep.

I laid there thinking about how everything had changed. Just the year before we had been fighting for our lives on different sides of the war and now we were laying on the same bed. It wasn't my two boys but two very different boys on my side.

I closed my eyes and hoped that things would finally settle down and we could put it all behind us.

\/\/\/

(Several Hours later)

We had woken up around mid-morning and I had made them breakfast. Draco stayed near me at all times and only left me to use the bathroom. I was currently cleaning the table after washing the dishes when the floo opened and Harry stepped through with Ron.

Both had blood-shot eyes and stank of beer. I lifted an eyebrow at them and watched as Ron barely even glanced at us three before heading upstairs. Harry walked towards me and I wrinkled my nose.

"Harry, where have you both been?"

Harry gave me a befuddled look before grimacing as he rubbed his temple. "I found him drinking in a pub near Diagon Alley. He was just drinking when he started a fight with another wizard. I stopped him and took to Madam Rosmerta and she made sure we got a room when we got smashed. I'm sure we will come out in the Daily Prophet."

I was already shaking my head. I grabbed the paper that had been delivered this morning and handed it to him. I heard the Floo open as Harry read the paper. Theo stayed sitting while Draco followed me into the living room to see Mother and the others come in. Remus didn't come through so I guess he had stayed back with Teddy's grandmother.

Mother looked around for me and once she met my gaze she lifted an eyebrow when she saw Draco standing really close to me. Iskra was grinning widely as she pushed Parkinson and Zabini to the side. Snape paid nobody mind as he nodded at us and headed upstairs with two folders in his hands.

Iskra laughed as she followed Snape out of the room. I shot her a look but she waved at me once before tailing Snape. I could faintly hear Snape's sigh, "Really? I have already told you to stay away from me." I heard Iskra snort, "You said something completely different last night." I stifled a laugh. Something must have happened last night to her as well.

The floo opened as Nina came through. I stepped around the others and hugged Nina. "Sorry I didn't stick around after. How's your arm?" Nina gave a small laugh, "I was attended to by Izzy's man." I lifted an eyebrow, "Her man?" Nina shook her head as Mother moved towards us. "That's the way she presented him to me."

Mother gave Nina a hug as she gave me and Draco, who had followed me, a curious look. I looked back at him and saw Theo walking up to us with Harry right behind him. I guessed we were going to tell them of our relationship openly.

I looked at mother and nodded towards the armchair as I moved up to both men. We all sat down except for Theo who moved behind my chair. Once everybody was sitting down I took a deep breath but Draco halted me and looked at his mother, "Mother, I'm seeing Granger." Narcissa didn't react at first.

She only looked at Draco for a long time in total silence before looking at me. "Ms. Granger, what are your intentions towards both of my son." Her tone gave nothing away but her gaze was steady and cool. I leaned back against the armchair and grabbed Draco's hand before using my other hand to reach back and to grab Theo's hand.

"I'm seeing both of this men. It started about a month ago but I can honestly say that I wasn't looking for anything when this whole thing started. I grew up being called a mudblood," Draco flinched and Theo's hand clamped down on my shoulder. Narcissa only blinked once and Zabin leaned against mother knees with a bored look on his face, "I never once held the notion that I would ever be in a relationship with a pureblood and even if I had it wouldn't have been with your son." I said truthfully.

"It happened and now all we know is that we want to be together regardless if this doesn't last past four seasons." I looked at mother who was playing with Blaise's hair. She nodded once but she did look a bit upset about calling me a mudblood.

I looked back at Narcissa who was staring at me with a thoughtful look on her face. "If this is what you three want then I won't stop you." I gave her a small smile that might have resembled a grimace. Harry put the newspaper down on the table in front of us.

He sat down and pointed to the paper, "All of the escaped Death Eaters have been caught. We have ..Cho Chang will have a trial as well as Mundungus Fletcher, Susan Bones, and Goyle. The others are dead." I looked down at my hands which all of a sudden seemed a bit dirtier than they had been seconds ago.

Draco tightened his hand around mine. I looked up at him and he brushed against my shields that I hadn't realized I had raised. I slowly let them down and his voice filled my head. "You did what you had to do. Don't feel back for decisions that they made themselves." I nodded once and felt Theo brush his mind against mine but didn't say anything.

I looked up and saw Harry staring down at me with a bit of pain his eyes. He looked away when the floo opened. Ginny stepped in and stopped short when everybody glanced at her. She didn't blush like she would have but instead nodded once at everybody and walked out of the room and headed upstairs.

Harry glance once more towards me before following her. I wasn't sure what was going on with them. I hoped that it worked out for them.

Mother leaned away from Blaise and asked, "We'll we be able to move back home." I nodded and felt Nott's hand go slack. I then remembered that he didn't' have anybody to go back home too unless he moved in with Draco. Narcissa stood up, "I'll head home first and have Meri pick up our stuff. Pansy, I'm sure your mother would want you to stay with us. Come along." Parkinson got up and almost looked relieved that she didn't have to go home to an empty house.

Blaise looked up at my mother, "I'm your son."

Mother laughed as she gently shoved him away from her leg. "I would remember having two babies, Blaise. But you are welcomed to stay with us too." Blaise shot both men on either side of me a triumphant look as he helped my mother up and took her out of the room.

Draco had shot Blaise a glare while Theo completely ignored him. I pulled Theo around to us and he pushed me off the chair and sat down before pulling me onto his lap. Draco raised my legs so they rested on his lap.

"I want you to stay with us. But I know it wouldn't be fair to Draco." I said as I got comfortable in his lap. Theo played with a strand of my hair, "I can move in with Draco for now and eventually we could all three move into a place of our own." I froze as well as Draco.

"Are you that sure that you will want me for that long?" I asked as I moved my leg so that it rubbed Draco's thigh. He shot me a dark look as he moved it away when it touched something much more tender.

Theo grabbed my chin and gave me a kiss before pulling away, "I would always want you." Draco moved out from under my legs and pulled me off Nott's lap. "I don't know how you long you could last putting up with both of us but I do want that and more," he said as he crushed me against him.

Theo moved up behind me and slid an arm around my waist. "We just want to see where all of this goes. But we are both sure of what we want."

I sighed in content, "I am willing to try if you both are." I was willing to do anything with this two men by my side. I hadn't seen myself in this situation a year ago but I wouldn't change anything if I had known it would end up this way.

I was happy and now everybody else could move on and be happy as well.

\/\/\/

I won't end it here. Don't worry. One or two more chapters more.

Feedback is welcomed.

Already writing the next book but I wanted to know if it should be about Snaimone, Dramione, Harmione.

(Elizabethrose1974) Your welcome! :)

(ArielNicholas913) Thanks for the comment! I actually pictured their faces before writing it! :D

(Snowflake Dazzle) I knew she could handle them herself but I didn't want to make things darker if I had taken that road. D and T helped her alright ;) Thanks for th comment!

Vane


	19. Chapter 19

J.K Rowling is the rightful owner. I'm just using her chest pieces for a bit.

\/\/\/

Chapter 19

(Two months Later)

It had been a somber two months. But only because the one year anniversary was almost upon us and everybody was on the edge. It was like we were in the calm before the storm. Mother and I had moved back into the cottage with Blaise. Iskra stayed for two weeks before she went back to Viktor for a secret assignment.

Theo had officially moved in with Draco and his mother. Both who were running their family businesses from there. Teddy and Remus still lived with Harry but most of the time they stayed over. Mother was fighting what she was feeling for Remus but Remus was also being just as difficult. I already told her that father would have wanted her to move on. She was just being stubborn. I guess I got that from her.

Cho Chang had been given five years in Azkaban as well as Susan Bones. Goyle had been kissed for the murders of Harry's family. Mundungus had been killed in his cell in the ministry but not even the Aurors had made any effort in looking for the killer.

Snape had been asked by Viktor to head towards Russia to meet up with Iskra who was over the moon that she would be meeting up with him in a week's time.

Nina was working at her shop and the other day I had passed by I had seen Ron there with a bag of food and flowers. He had blushed madly before taking a hasty exit. I had almost laughed except for the sharp pain that had gone through me a the time. He had looked back at me before the door closed. His eyes had reflected the same feeling I had been feeling at the moment.

If things would have been different we would have made each other so happy.

But I was happy. Theo and Draco both cared for me and I had actually told them I had come to love them a couple of weeks ago. Theo had only given me a slight squeeze but the next day there had been a necklace with a silver key on it with my name engraved on it. He saw it on me later that day and he had brushed against my mind with a somewhat soft brush that had made my stomach flutter.

Draco had not believed me and had avoided me for a whole week before Theo and Blaise had dragged him to me. He had looked at me blankly and had been smashed since he staggered around as he walked towards me.

Draco had cried in my arms that night that Theo had left with Blaise. He had told me his deepest fear. Being loved had been the last thing he thought he deserved. I had made sure he understood that night that I did indeed love him with every cell in my body.

Now we would always see each other and he would constantly brush against me with more confidence. With more openness.

I leaned back into the willow tree with a book in my lap as I watched Mother, Remus, and Teddy near the edge of the water. They were showing him small skipping rocks. To my left, I saw Draco and Theo walking towards me with confident strides. It was breathtaking to watch them both together. Theo with his dark looks and Draco with his white blond hair. I noticed that mother had stopped and turned to us with an excited look in her eyes.

I narrowed my eyes at her before turning to look at both men. I stood up and brushed some of the dirt from my jeans.

Draco gave a wide smile while Theo just quietly stared at me. I raised an eyebrow as they stepped closer and Draco reached into his pocket. I held my breath and almost gasped as he took a small velvet box.

I trembled as I watched with misty eyes as Theo and Draco reached for my hand. Draco opened the box and showed me the small ring nestled in the middle.

"I know that it's too soon to marry but we both want to already be with you. Come home to you and stay the night with you. We want to grow with you. To experience things with you." Draco said as he removed it and Theo took it from his hands.

"I'm not good at expressing things but I will try my hardest to make sure you feel loved and cherished. Will you marry us?"

Both of them moved around in my mind, sending me such a strong emotion of love that it would have made my legs collapse. I gasped out, "Yes." Mother screamed as Remus gave a shout of mock rage.

I dropped my book on the floor and took the final step towards both of them. Theo kissed me first. It sent shivers down back knowing I would keep this man in my life for a very long time. Draco pulled me closer as he turned my head towards his and kissed me on the mouth. I kept whispering to them that I loved them over and over again.

I truly never thought I would be so happy this soon after the war. But here I was with two men that loved me so much.

\/\/

(Five Years Later)

"Stop it! Ezra! Leave your brother alone!"

A loud crash sounded as I moved towards the two little devils. I grabbed the two-year-old boy who was shouting words to his older brother. "Mother! He took my broomstick!" I groaned and heard a soft laugh from behind me. I turned to see Theo leaning against the wall with said broomstick in his hand.

I dropped my son and watched him run towards his father. Draco walked into the room and picked up Hyatt. Who was grinning evilly towards his younger brother? I huffed as I waved my wand over the toy blocks that had been knocked against the wall.

A year after we had gotten married I had fallen pregnant in my first heat of the year. Eight months later Hyatt came into the world. He had been a whole month early but the Healers had said that he was fine. Draco had panicked through the whole pregnancy, saying he would end up screwing the kid up and whatnot. Theo hadn't helped the situation much since he also had thought the same.

But once Hyatt had been born they had loved him. I had to pry Hyatt from them to feed him. Both had taken weeks away from work and helped me with him. Hyatt had been such a fussy baby and when he had learned to crawl, it had only made him mischievous. It didn't help that Draco encouraged him openly.

I had thought that they would feel differently knowing that Hyatt was actually Theo's son but Draco treated him no differently. Exactly a year later I had Ezra.

Ezra had been born two weeks late and had been a troubled baby. He had fallen sick a week after leaving the hospital and we all had panicked. Draco had almost lost his mind thinking he had already fucked up his kid and he hadn't been in the world for long.

Now two years later both boys were always fighting each other since they both wanted both fathers to themselves. It got to the point where they pranked each other. Harry encouraged it. That scoundrel.

Harry had married Astoria Greengrass a year ago. It had been a surprise the wizardly world but for us, it was expected. Harry had split from Ginny the day they had talked. Ginny had left not long after that. She joined the Holyhead Harpies that following summer. She had only ever come back to see her family before leaving once again. She wasn't married but she was seeing one of Viktor's old friends.

Iskra had eventually won over Snape a year later after we had caught the Death Eaters. Both still worked together with Viktor and they had gotten married two months ago. Iskra had fallen pregnant two weeks into their two weeks into their marriage. She had dragged Snape to our house and had dramatically shown her flat stomach to everybody.

Mother had taken a bit longer to fall for Remus and now they both lived in the cottage together with Teddy who had just turned six. Mother still came to me so that we both could visit father every year.

Ron had married Nina three years ago at the Burrow and Nina was almost going to pop with their daughter. Nina had told me she had been seeing Ron since that day I had run into him at her shop and I had told her to be happy.

I watched all four of my loves as they shouted and talked amongst themselves. I couldn't be happier than I was then and there. We all had moved on and now lived the way we should have been from the beginning.

I laughed as both baby boys ran around the room with the toy broomstick forgotten. I glanced outside as it began to rain. It was everything I had ever imagined.

\/\/\/

I can't believe I finished it. I had thought that it would be a bit longer but alas here is the end. I might add small chapters of those five years later or when the kids are fully grown later on. I will soon be uploading a new story which will center around Hermione and Severus. But it will be dark and a long story since I have already written 5 of the chapters.

Thanks for reading this story and hope you come back to read my next story!

(Update 5/14/17: I have another story up called Shadows of Time. It's a Hermione fan-fic but the pairing will be determined as the story progresses but it either certainly be a Slytherin.)

-Vanessa


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